You Can't Hide From The Beast Inside
by Firefly-Golden
Summary: Kaylee had disappeared for years from their lives. When she finally decides to return it could possibly be the worst timing ever known in history. Jerry/OC
1. Enter The Beast

Apprehension filled me as I raised my fist for what felt like the millionth time (but was really my sixth) at trying to find the courage to knock on my mother's front door.

It looked like my mom hadn't changed much since I had left. Just about everything looked the same, which tickled me to the point that I wanted to laugh, but I was so terrified I couldn't bring myself to do it. Finally I dropped my hand back down to my side and rubbed my now sweaty palm against the edge of my shorts.

This was getting ridiculous. I mean she was my mother it wasn't like she was going to turn me away on sight…right?

Indecision was filling me the more I stood there on that front step in what felt like purgatory of either knocking on that door and getting this over with or finally deciding to run back to my car with my tail between my legs. Bringing my fingers up to my mouth I began to bit off what little bit of the nails that I had left while rocking back and forth on my booted heels.

Glancing down at the welcome mat one last time I let out a groan as I turned fast on my heels and made a speedy escape back towards my 67' Impala. My baby hadn't been much to look at in the beginning, and she still wasn't much of a looker now even, but ever so slowly whenever I could get the money I would fix her up. One day the world would see her the way I did.

As soon as I reached my car my hand shot out fast to take hold of the handle and quickly had it open. The door gave out a loud creak of disapproval as I all but furiously swung my duffel bag through the door with it slamming into the passenger's side. I was just about ready to jump right in beside my bag when the sound of the driver's door creaking stopped me dead in my tracks. I felt like my own car was calling me a coward.

"Oh what do you know?" I snapped.

I know it was the wind that blew against the door causing it to creak once more but for some reason my brain took it as it was replying back. Calling me a coward once more.

Uncertainty began to fill me as the anxiety began to tingle at the tips of my toes working its way slowly further up. I really was acting like a coward and that's not what I had come here to do.

"Fuck!"

Slamming the door shut I began to slowly pace back and forth in front of it running my hands through my hair and at moments gripping it tight, like the small tugs I gave here and there were the only things keeping me grounded. It shouldn't have been this hard and maybe I was just overreacting.

Maybe…possibly. Oh hell who knows?

The sun was already beginning to go down turning the sky into a huge abstract painting filled with oranges, purple, and pink hues that turned to a deep red if you looked at it right. Even with the sun going down like it was it was still fuckin' hot outside. The downside of living in Vegas, I suppose.

Letting out a heavy breath I finally released my hair deciding that a good thing to calm my nerves would be a nice, soothing Marlboro red. My roots were incredibly thankful for the intervention. Reaching into my back pocket I had the pack out quickly, pulled one out, and had it light all with a swiftness that would have impressed anyone who would have watched.

It could have been part of an act of that Magician Peter Vincent's I saw a billboard for on the way in. He looked like a Russell Brand knock off to me.

I took in a heavy drag and felt my muscles begin to relax as I blew out the venomous smoke from between my lips. The neighborhood looked almost exactly the same way it had when I left, except the house on the right didn't look like it belonged to the Perry's anymore. No, with a big ass green dumpster in the front looking like a giant eyesore; I knew the Perry's no longer lived there. The neighbors I had grown up with were now gone. Taking in another drag of my smoke I eyed the green monstrosity that no doubt had my mom pulling her hair out from the root.

With each passing drag it ebbed away the anxiety that had threatened to consume me barely a few minutes before.

It had been close to five years since I had left here; left them. I could admit now that I was terrified of my mother's reaction when she saw me. We hadn't left things on the best terms and we never got a chance to try and make things right between us. In the middle of the night, at the fresh age of 17, I snuck out of my house for the last time and never came back. Only leaving a single note on the sheets on my bed for her to read. I'd crept into Charley's room while he slept and gave him one last sisterly kiss on his forehead (the kind he used to love to wipe away quickly in disgust) and left his note on his nightstand for him to find.

Charley.

I tried all these years to not think about him but no matter what he was the one I'd felt like I'd betrayed. He'd barely turned 14 when I had ducked out. Barely two years shy of when our dad had left. To let myself sleep at night I tried reasoning that no one understood me and only wanted to persecute me and say I was going nowhere but to a life of going in and out of jail. Who knows, maybe they were right, but no one showed me any faith that I could get better. Not even my own mother believed that I could change. I still remembered the night she told me she'd stopped hoping because every time her hopes rose just a little bit I always did something to send them down in flames.

But in reality the one person I felt like I had let down and betrayed was Charley. Would he even want to see me?

Running a now shaky hand through my hair I took one last drag of my smoke before I tossed it out eyeing the green monster one more time.

My curiosity was peaked and of course it had to be sated so without further thought that I might look like a creeper snooping around someone's property; I officially decided to go have myself a look. If worst came to worse maybe I could lie and say I was with the Department of Environmental Health. Yeah…dressed in cut-off shorts, a black v-neck, and a maroon colored leather jacket with motorcycle boots?

Yeah not likely _but_ was worth a shot.

I looked both ways making sure that the coast was clear. I only spotted one person out and she was too busy struggling to keep the groceries in her arms from tumbling to the ground. I'm sure a strange girl looking in a giant green dumpster would be the least of her worries.

I quickly made my way across the street, checking on the woman one last time; my paranoia was getting to me. Gripping the edges of the dumpster I made sure my boots had proper footing on the bottom ledge before I hoisted myself up, wrapping my forearms tight to the ledge to make sure I didn't go flying back like a dumbass.

My face scrunched into deep thought and confusion as I examined the contents of this new neighbors dumpster. Dirt, some long boards, and lots of cement littered the large container.

What the fuck was this dude doing? If mom knew what was in here I think she'd flip her shit.

As I continued to examine the dumpster something that was covered in dirt caught my eye. Leaning closer I tried to make it out but it was still too covered in dirt for me to really be able to tell what it was. I didn't have the longest arms in the world but I figure if I could get my stomach half way on the ledge I would probably be able to not only move some of the dirt out of the way but also possibly grab it. As I began to get ready to maneuver myself for the jump I paused halfway realizing I was now going way past snooping and heading fast into invasion of privacy.

So maybe I needed to weigh my options a little more closely. But when I glanced back into that stupid dumpster and at what looked like an ivory colored object, my curiosity overruled my logic.

Without letting myself think about it anymore, lest I change my mind; I quickly hoisted my stomach onto the ledge and stretched my arm out. Apparently my balance was shit because half of the battle became me trying not to fall into the dumpster itself. I stretched my arm out farther wishing that it would just grow a few more inches just so I could get to the ivory object and be done with it. Biting down on my lip I did a mini jump forward hoping maybe it would give me the few extra inches I needed.

"Woo shit!"

I barely caught myself before I went face first into a very jagged piece of cement. It should not be this difficult to get to one stupid little object. Letting out a huff of frustration I just took the extra inches I'd fallen in as a blessing and reached out with a little more zealous. I was going to find out what that object was if it was the last damn thing I did. I was even starting to make those embarrassing straining noises that reminded me of constipated people.

Just great.

It seemed that me falling in was all the push I needed because as I wiggled my fingers they now danced across the cement and dirt that dusted across the object. Finally!

My heart began to race with satisfaction as a pleased smile slid across my face.

"Just a little more…" I mumbled.

Suddenly a very loud ringing noise sounded beside me and with a scream I dropped back off the dumpster stumbling to my feet with my knee connecting into its corner.

"Damn it!"

Now I felt stupid. It was only my damn cell phone. I reached into the front of my shorts and quickly pulled it out; answering it immediately.

"Yeah?"

"Bitch! How is your goddamn family reunion going? Is it everything you dreamed?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at the sound of LaLa's voice. He was going to be the only thing I was going to miss about Mississippi.

"Not quite. I haven't exactly knocked on the door yet."

Pursing my lips together my fingers began to fidget with the edges of my jacket as I looked around the neighborhood…again.

"You mean you ain't in Vegas yet?" he asked cautiously.

"No I'm in Vegas."

He grew quiet on his side causing me to take the phone from my ear briefly just to make sure he was still there.

"You are at the house aren't you?"

"Yeah you could say that," I mumbled sheepishly.

"Bitch either you is there or you isn't!"

"Oh fine you whore I'm here!"

"Then what the fuck you doing standing with your thumb stuck up your ass standing outside?"

"Uhm…"

I looked wildly around to see if he was maybe parked somewhere or if he could somehow see me.

"How'd you know I was standing outside?"

"You mean to tell me you haven't been inside the goddamn house yet?"

I could feel myself getting ready to pout.

"You say goddamn too much and I don't even know if anyone's home."

I stood up a little straighter putting confidence in my lie so maybe even I could believe it without my pride being wounded.

"I'll say goddamn however many goddamn times I feel like it. So what have you been doing, then?"

"Geez moody much," he's reply was a scoff most likely at my rather _lame_ reply. "I tried knocking a few times then gave up and decided to look in my mom's new neighbor's huge green monster of a dumpster."

"Bitch, you mean to tell me instead of just knocking on the fucking door you decided it would be better for you to go dumpster diving?"

"Hey, hey now I wasn't dumpster diving. I was-"

"Being a snoopy bitch?" he interjected.

It was my turn to scoff.

"Uh no! Okay...maybe. Fine, yes. Whatever!"

His deep chuckling filled my ears when suddenly I heard a light buzzing noise fill the silence around me. My eyebrows drew together as I glanced around looking for the new noise when I saw the garage door of my mom's new neighbor, who's dumpster I had just been trying to dig through and was standing in the middle of their driveway, had been opening and was now about halfway open.

My eyes widened as I caught sight of booted feet with what looked like muscular legs attached to them coming my way.

"Shit, shit!"

Instantly I began to back pedal towards my Impala. Although I realize that if I saw his legs than he had to have seen mine. Here's to hoping he hadn't.

"Girlfriend what the fuck is you going on about? You get caught diving in the neighbors dumpster," he snickered.

Mimicking him I nearly sprinted the last couple of feet to my car and just about falling on my ass in the process. My feet went sliding against the loose gravel and let me tell you, motorcycle boots were not made with traction in mind. In the end I had to make an executive decision: It was either ditch the phone or land on my ass. I went with option one naturally.

Instinctively I let it go as my hands shot out hastily to grab a hold of my door handle to keep me grounded. Once my near falling on my ass episode was over I took a second to straighten out my jacket and surveying the area to make sure that no one else had seen. Faintly in the background I could hear LaLa calling and screaming for me as if I was dying. Bending down I swiftly picked up my phone.

"I'm here you whore and for your information I almost busted my ass right now trying to get off of the guys driveway."

Oh shit! How could I have totally forgotten the reason I almost fell in the first place? With my hand now clutching hard onto my phone I turned back towards the driveway that I had descended no doubt looking like a criminal. Who I saw standing there not only made me swallow hard but also began to make my heart flutter and not just from embarrassment. The guy who had taken over the Perry's old house was fucking hot! The Perry's be damned!

It was as if clarifying that little bit of information instantly made my cheeks heat up at the idea that the hottest neighbor my mom had ever had not only watched me run off his driveway but almost busted my ass. This was just super.

"Bitch I can hear you breathing."

"You will not fucking believe how hot my mom's neighbor is!" I whispered fiercely into the phone.

He was standing just barely a few inches out from his garage wiping his dirty hands on a rag. I wasn't really paying too much attention to his hands, although they were gorgeous, but more or less the way his muscles flexed with every movement he made with them. I so badly wanted to give a nice heavy sigh of content but realized he was staring directly at me with some of the most dramatically dark but illuminating eyes I had ever seen. And like a damn jackass what did I do? Instead of doing anything else that would have been sensual or mysterious I felt my hand fly up, waving fast, and a small voice that I believe was mine squeak out, "Hi!"

"Oh no she fuckin' didn't," LaLa moaned in disbelief.

If I could I would've slapped myself hard; my palm to my face. But he was still watching and what surprised the shit out of me was a smile light his face and he gave me a slight wave back. It didn't look like it suited him more like he had strained to do it but nonetheless he had done it back. My heart was swooning like a fucking 5 year old when she was the princess and got kissed by the prince in Kindergarten.

"Oh my fucking god LaLa! You don't even know! Holy fuck even his ass is cute!"

I watched like a hawk as he turned quickly on his heel with my eyes glued to his ass until he disappeared back into the dimly lit garage. Seconds later he came back out wheeling a wheel burl, set it down, and went to work on putting the ramp down from the dumpster.

"Why doesn't your lazy ass send me a picture of this perfect creature of masculinity?" he teased.

"Don't you think I'll look weird taking a picture of him?"

"You just went dumpster diving in the man's trash. How much weirder could he possibly think you are?"

"Shut up," I grumbled.

"Just take me a damn picture. If he's hot enough maybe I'll come down and visit."

"I saw him first so I call dibs."

"Doesn't matter because when he gets a taste of this sweet fine chocolate he isn't gonna want your caramel stick to you everywhere bullshit."

I didn't even know what to say back to that so I just rolled my eyes and took the phone away from my ear to go into my settings and get my camera ready. I was still debating on whether or not I should even be nice enough to take a picture for him to see. I took a few cautious steps closer with my heart pounding so hard in my chest I thought I was going to pass out. I hoped to god he didn't decide to randomly look up right when I was about to snap a picture of him. Without even looking I quickly snapped the picture and turned my back towards him my heart seeming to pound even harder even though I had just taken the picture.

"I got your damn picture, hoochie."

I couldn't hear what he said next because all I could hear was the very loud sound of girls' laughter and the blaring music that followed. I turned in the direction of the origin of the noise and sure enough 3 girls sat laughing in a green Volkswagen Beetle while a boy in jeans and a black and red plaid button up hoped out of the back grabbing his back pack as he spoke to the girls. Rolling my eyes I looked away from the teenage scene of hormones at its best.

"So you going to go talk to him?"

Funny how he sounded bored now.

"Talk to whom?"

"The hot neighbor!"

"Oh…probably not."

"Why the fuck not?" he spat making me cringe just a wee bit at the irritation that had been laced in every word.

I shrugged but realized a second later he couldn't see it.

"He's undeniably hot I will give you that but a guy that hot has got to have a girlfriend already and if he doesn't then he's a player. I don't need to get mixed up with anymore bad boy slash player slash whatever the hell he might be."

"You are fucking ridiculous! You do know that it seriously fucks with my head when I hear you say stupid shit like this right?"

Rolling my eyes I began to kick the little pebbles of asphalt away, my left hand tucked underneath my elbow as I listened to him bitch some more about how much of a pussy I was. I wasn't a pussy I was just cautious. A cautious pussy was a safe pussy if you ask me.

"Kaylee?"

My name had been said so light I had barely heard it over LaLa's ongoing rant. Turning back towards my mother's house there stood the boy who had exited the Beetle that had apparently driven off. Shows how much I had been paying attention. The look in the boy's eyes was a mixture of hope, wonder, and relief but underneath all that was this stinging look of anguish. Gradually I could feel my arms, everything, just shutting down around me as it finally began to hit me who it was that was standing there in front of me.

"LaLa I'm gonna have to call you back."

I didn't wait for a reply as I swiftly turned off my phone and set it into my pocket and stared back at the guy standing in front of me. He didn't look the same at all and it seemed since I had left that he had not only gotten taller but had filled out a little here and there. Even getting what looked to be muscle tone in his arms that used to be limp as noodles. He took a few steps towards me and I did the same; it only seemed fair.

We stood there in what felt like an eternity in silence just staring at the other not knowing what to say.

"You got big," I barely got out.

My voice was shaky with the beginnings of the hysteric laughter that I got when I was about to cry. It was something that I hated but at this moment I didn't care. Charley didn't really say anything back to me just nodded his head so much that I was beginning to imagine a bobble head standing in front of me. As I opened my mouth to try something else in one swift motion he dropped his bag down and rushed towards me and engulfed me into his arms. At first I didn't know what to do. I stood there in what felt like limbo with my arms spread wide and my body stiff from shock. I had imagined and expected a lot of things from Charley but I had never expected this.

Finally little by little I embraced him and as if he had been waiting for that confirmation alone he squeezed me tighter to him. I could feel his tears wetting my hair as he tried to contain himself. Putting my face into his shoulder he tried whisper to me but his voice broke a few times before he finally got out, "I have missed you so much."

This time it was my turn to squeeze him just a little harder as I fought to contain my own tears.

"I've missed you too Charley," I barely got out.

Looking over his shoulder I saw that new neighbor watching our exchange with such intensity that it almost felt like an intrusion, but a weird eerie feeling came over me as I watched him as he remained still like a marble statue. Those black eyes observing; looking cruel.

"I've missed you too."


	2. Fate Can Make Mistakes

Hey! 1st: I want to apologize for taking so long to post Chapter 2 up for you guys! I've been working a lot more than usual BUT I did take the time to make sure this one was awesome but decently sized :)) I also have to admit it took so long to upload because I am extremely critical of my own work and I just want it to be perfect! 2nd: Jerry will begin to start showing up more in Chapter 3 and onward, I promise! Just giving the family etc. some good ol' fashion back story :)) and 3rd: I would REALLY like to thank the following reviewers : **VampireSiren, HannahBabies, dirty-icing, and batgirl3952** for your awesome reviews! You all made me so happy to see them! Without further ado here is Chapter 2! :) ENJOY!

The room was filled with the worst awkward silence that I had ever personally had to sit through. I mean sure I've been a part of those family meetings or whatever the hell you want to call them where you and your parents sit down and have a "heart to heart" about what's going on with you. You know all that radical stuff. But this…this was completely a whole new ball game that I had never thought I would be a part of.

I kept my eyes directed on my plate my fork being my instrument of choice in my fidgeting gathering my mashed potatoes together like a lost flock of sheep. I could hear my mother's knife scrapping against the plate as if she was going to dig a hole through her meatloaf, into the table, and out to China.

With my head still facing my plate I slowly brought my gaze around to look at her. She took a very hard bite of meatloaf off the fork, her vision staring off into space. Her thoughts had obviously taken her somewhere that was not this room. Personally, I fully believed she didn't _want_ to be in this room.

When I initially walked in she had been just as shell shocked as Charley had been. I probably looked like that too but since I couldn't see myself I couldn't tell. After the shock wore off though she'd embraced me but still remained quiet. Her taut embrace being the only indication that she was happy or maybe just a little glad to see me.

She looked incredibly different.

Her style had changed into what looked like a mixture of sexy and laid back. She'd even dyed her hair a strawberry blonde color the blonde seeming like it was winning out between the two. I wasn't too thrilled with the dye job because my mother had beautiful fiery red hair. I was a little sad at the idea I wouldn't be seeing it anytime soon.

Jane Brewster was all grown up now.

My attention was quickly drawn to Charley as he cleared his throat and tried to find a comfortable position in his chair.

"So uhm Kaylee," he spoke his voice shaky, "What have you been up too these past years?"

At the sound of that question all noise stopped from my mom's side of the table. This could be interesting. Looking up from my plate I brought my attention to Charley. His reward was a small smirk from me, his little A for effort.

"Uhm I uh moved around a lot."

"Wow Kaylee, that was lame even for you."

Her voice cut through that awkward bubble we'd all been creating the only way mothers could. I stabbed my fork into my mashed potatoes with a low chuckle.

That was pretty lame even for me she was right. Glancing over at her I wasn't surprised to see her staring directly at me, her steel gaze penetrating into me with a look I knew all too well. This was exactly why I'd been hoping these questions would've been asked later or more like…never. Yeah, that would've been awesome.

I could almost feel Charley fidgeting nervously at my back. Funny how even after all these years I still had the ability to tell when the kid was about ready to jump out of his skin. With a tight smile I glanced back up at her meeting her piercing gaze with my own.

"You're right mom. I did start off with one lame ass sounding reply." Turning to Charley I gave him a quick wink. "I did in fact move around a lot though. Mainly because for a while I boosted cars."

"Jesus Christ I knew it," she murmured.

Her silverware made one hell of a scraping sound as she threw them down on her plate. Looking at Charley I watched as he stuffed his mouth with meatloaf trying to hide his smile. I couldn't help but smile, genuinely smile, at the memories of having talks just like this when we were all much younger.

"Yup right again mom as usual. But what's a kid to do when the only thing she thinks she's good at is breaking into stuff?"

"Maybe that's because she never tried to do anything else," she shot back.

Shaking my head I did my best to remain calm. Every time my illegal activities came up somehow it was said that I did them because she was a bad mother. Over dramatic? Hell yes. Plus she had been a great mother.

"Anyway," I continued choosing to ignore her, "I didn't do it for long. A guy's car I was trying to steal up in Seattle caught me. To pay him back for the busted window he had me waitress at his restaurant at night and then work at his grandmother's laundry mat during the day."

Instantly Charley started laughing almost spraying his soda across the table.

"What's so funny?"

Patting his chest he coughed a few times to clear his throat before he responded.

"You? Doing laundry and I mean not just your own but other people's laundry?"

Smiling I ran my hand through my hair as I caught on to what he was implying. I moved forward swiftly to playfully shove him both of us laughing in the process.

"Shut the hell up. Once I was done paying him back I stuck around for a while to save some money then dipped once I had enough. I've worked as a bartender, mechanic-"

"Wait you're a mechanic?"

The look of pure awe on the boy's face was too damn funny for words.

"Yeah man I am and a badass one at that, I might add."

"It's so great to know that after ditching your family in the middle of the night and going off to find yourself would be so fulfilling. Not knowing if you were even alive after all these years was such a real peach for us."

With each lethal word she spit out at me it felt like they had chipped away at me and any hopes that I had of things going smoothly. Had I not expected this kind of reaction? No, I knew that it was going to happen I wasn't stupid and yeah I deserved it but I didn't want to fight right when I just got back.

What an extreme fucked up kick to my gut this was.

She had both mine and Charley's attention now. My mother had never looked so smug and pissed off as she did now and watching her take a big gulp of her wine I knew she was ready to rip me a new one.

"Mom, please," Charley begged fiercely.

She completely ignored the kid.

"Tell me Kaylee Rheanne how much better your life was after you deserted us in the middle of the night. Do you know how heartbroken you left Charley? Do you?"

Each word left her mouth fiercer than the last with her voice rising with each that passed her lips. If words could kill I would have most certainly dropped dead a long time ago.

I tried to control the waves of guilt that rolled me, furiously swallowing back the acidic taste of regret that tried to break free of my throat. She used the one thing that she knew would tear me apart inside: Charley.

I couldn't even bring myself to look in his direction and in that split second she knew she had me.

"Stop it!"

"So tell me how it feels to desert your family, the people who loved you and would've done anything for you! Huh, Kaylee! You walked out on us just like your goddamn father did but at least he had the decency to walk out with us knowing. What kind of coward does it in the dead of night-"

"I said stop it goddamn it!" Charley screamed slamming his palms down hard on the table.

The sudden jolt was enough to tear me away from her and look at him at last. He was fighting so hard to stay in control of himself, his lower lip quivering from the effort, and his eyes close to spilling.

"Why do you gotta ruin it?" he cried.

I was pretty positive this was not something she had expected. She looked like she just shit a painful brick.

"Kay finally came back and all you're doing is trying to drive her away!"

"Charley it isn't like that-"

"Bullshit it isn't! All you've done is attack her."

"Guys," I tried.

They completely ignored me the assholes.

"Why can't you just be happy she's here? Just for one fucking night."

"Charley!"

I decided to maybe try him this time raising my voice just a notch higher and gave him a millisecond to respond. When he didn't I did the next best thing: I punched him hard in the shoulder.

Yup I had his attention then.

His head snapped to me standing next to him with his eyes blinking rapidly as his brain registered me there. Once he did I watched in astonishment as his face contorted into a mixture of pain and shock as his hand shot up to hold the shoulder I'd greeted with my fist.

"Ah, what the fuck Kaylee?"

"What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck were _you_ doing Charley?"

"I was sticking up for you!"

"There are too many fucks being thrown around in this room!"

There was that perfect motherly timing coming into play now. She raised herself from her chair and looked close to coming across the table and pulling both of our ears. Neither of us paid any mind to her.

"Yeah and not that I'm not grateful or nothing-"

"Then you're welcome," he interjected sternly.

I gave him a short look wanting to punch him all over again and then out of fucking nowhere, the kid cracked a smile and started laughing. Now I was completely confused and a tad worried that he'd turned into Charles Manson.

"Uhm Charley?" I asked cautiously.

I didn't want to make any sudden movements just in case he decided to spring on me. He looked like a crazy ass white boy with his eyes still moist with the unshed tears that had threatened to leave him earlier.

"It's just like old times, huh?"

I turned to look at my mom we both stared at each other neither of us knowing what the hell he was talking about. I gave it a few more seconds to sink in before I finally got what he was talking about.

Rolling my tongue across my teeth I fought to not laugh at his very true statement. The last couple of months I'd been here that was almost exactly how every dinner had gone.

"Come on Kay I'll show you to your room."

The subject and the change in his tone was enough to jar me from my thoughts so much that I damn near gave myself whiplash looking back at him. He wasn't smiling anymore, his eyes barely glimmered with a hint that he'd done it before. Pushing in his chair he turned and headed for the base of the stairs. He didn't even look back to check and see if I was even following.

"Thank for dinner."

My voice sounded hollow even to me but I didn't care. I just gave her a brief nod, pushed in my chair, and made my way to Charley and the stairs. He wasn't even there when I reached the stairs and neither was my duffel bag. Taking the stairs two by two I was promptly at the top of the stairwell and now in the hallway of my childhood home.

She'd repainted the walls a lilac color with the stereotypical rows upon rows of family photos in mahogany frames scattered around the walls. I was glad that she had gotten rid of that awful flowered wallpaper. That shit looked like the exorcist had spit up her green bean vomit all over the walls and a giant chicken came running across the walls soon after. Okay, so maybe it didn't look as ridiculous as that sounded but what can I say? I really fucking hated that wallpaper.

I started my decent down the hall glancing at the occasional photo. She still had up the ones of all of us on Christmas of '98, my soccer and softball pictures along with Charley's first year of T-Ball, and of my middle school graduation and all of our strained smiles. I couldn't help but smile at the protective arm I had around him in just about every group photo. Our parents may have always been arguing but me and Charley, we'd had each other.

Someone cleared their throat and quickly I brought myself out of my memories and looked down the hallway to find the owner of the noise. Of course it was Charley sticking his head out of my old bedroom that was the last one on the right. I blinked a few times as I attempted to fight off all the old feelings that began to try and consume me as I made my way towards my brothers peeking head and the doorway.

"I know you couldn't have gotten lost," he teased.

I made a face at him that was rewarded with laughter as he moved back into the room so I could come through.

"Ha look at you all grown up and so funny!" I mocked. "Nah man I was looking at that T-Ball photo with you when you used to have teeth bigger than your head."

I couldn't stop from laughing at the memory while Charley gave me a look of pure misery.

"Not cool, Kay. Those were some of the worst memories of my life."

"Oh please like you can actually remember having those big ass beaver teeth," I chuckled.

"Yeah I can actually if it's so hard for you to believe. My life was hell until my baby teeth fell out and my adult ones grew in."

"And then you had miss matched rows of teeth going from large to small, large too small, all in one fucked up little row."

Giving me a look of disbelief he muttered, "That's fucked up."

Before I stepped inside the bedroom I sucked in my bottom lip and placed my front teeth over it instantly making me have huge buck teeth. Crossing my eyes was the last finishing touch of my funny face I made for him and danced my face back and forth in front of him for a second before I grew bored and walked in to the bedroom.

"Now that's really fucked up," he groaned.

"Not as much as your teeth were," I sang teasingly.

I chuckled as I entered the room and immediately felt my smile fall. She had painted my room a color that I could only describe as shit brown. The whole entire wall was covered in this plain brown color with only white boarding to give me any sort of hope that it wasn't all that I was going to look at. The queen size bed was decorated with those frilly display pillows and the bed spread was a deep plum color littered with light brown flowers to give it some sort of contrast. What really shocked me was the desk that was seated off in the left corner of the room. I had never had a desk in my room in my entire life it literally was a foreign object sitting in my room. The only thing that I liked about this room was the 26' inch flat screen television that was placed on the wall.

There was just so much fucking brown in this room and it was so…bare.

"There's a desk in my room," was all I could seem to say.

Out of everything that was wrong with this room that was all that I had come up with. Charley came and stood beside me placing his hands in his front pockets as he grew tight lipped rocking on his heels.

"After two years mom finally just came in and re-did the whole thing."

"Well aren't you just a master of the fucking obvious," I grumbled.

He lightly laughed from beside me knowing that I was just being grumpy. He'd had already placed my duffel down on the bed and with its army olive coloring it look ridiculously out of place amongst all the brown that threatened to swallow the room whole. I took a step forward towards the bed when Charley laid a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Hey I gotta go and start my homework or else mom won't let me go see Am- Adam later," he said sheepishly.

I raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his feet for a brief second his cheeks turning a soft rosy color as he tried to meet my eyes. The kid was holding out on something and was acting like he usually did when he was trying to hide it: awkward. I pretended to not notice the way he stumbled around Adam's name and gingerly nodded my head.

"Alright that's fine. I'll see you later kiddo."

I playfully pinched his cheek which he quickly tried to swat away but missed me by an inch before I pulled my hand back, both of us laughing. We kind of stood there in that comfortable silence again. With one last nod I turned and headed over to my bag unzipping it and began to bring out clothes and put them on the bed.

"Kay."

Twisting back to the doorway Charley stood there, a hand against the doorframe, hanging just outside the hallway.

"Yeah?"

"It really is good to see you."

We both gave each other a small smile before he finally headed down the hallway. I heard his bedroom door open and five seconds later close followed by the light sound of metal music turning on. Shaking my head I couldn't help but smile as I continued to unpack my duffel putting my clothes in designated piles. As I pulled out a couple of band tees something in a plastic bag fell from between them and landed on the bed. On closer inspection I realized it was a bag of joints LaLa must have slipped into my bag when I wasn't looking.

I looked around frantically to make sure that my mother or Charley wasn't coming up around the stairs or down the hall. After I made sure the coast was clear I ran back to the bed and picked up the bag cursing LaLa every step of the way. Examining the bag closer I counted out seven joints the bastard had given me. Not that I wasn't grateful for the unexpected gift but if my mom walked in-

And just like that Jane Brewster appeared in my room after a brief knock on the door. Worst. Timing. Ever.

My eyes widened as everything felt like it was going into slow motion. I turned to watch her stride into my room a tight smile around her mouth as she came towards me. I did the only thing that I could think of. I quickly flung the bag down on the bed and threw my tee shirt down on top of it. Talk about your awkward situations.

"Hey," she began politely.

"Hey!"

I tried to play it cool but I couldn't control my eyes from darting down to the shirt. Crossing my arms I leaned my hip against the bed giving her my full attention as she stopped a few inches in front of me.

"You find everything okay?"

I gave the room a once over before I looked back at her and shrugged.

"It's all a little too much brown, don't ya think?"

A real smile curled her lips as she looked down at her feet and back up to me. Waving a playful finger at me she replied, "I figured you would say something about it."

It was my turn to shrug this time.

"I would rather stare at prison orange than shit any day."

"Hey now it is chocolate delight not shit."

I looked at her like she was insane.

"Call it whatever you want but chocolate delight or coffee, taffy whatever, in the end it all ends up the same. It's the color of shit."

Giving me a flat look she looked around the bed at what little clothes I had taken out from my duffel. No doubt spotting my old Zeppelin tee that John had given me on my fifteenth birthday. The minute her eyes caught it they lit up and in sheer panic I watched as her hand reached for it, exposing the bag of joints hidden underneath it. Luckily for me she hadn't noticed it yet she was too focused on the shirt.

"I remember the day he gave this too you," she began smiling down at the shirt.

Her hand caressed down the fabric ending with her fingers playing across the hem of the shirt. While she was busy stroking the damn shirt I decided to attempt to get the bag out of view. My fingers danced across the bedspread as I tried to keep my back straight so I didn't look anymore suspicious as I most likely already did. Apparently though I was awful at it because she looked up from the tee shirt and immediately I began to pretend I was just feeling the sheets.

"These Egyptian cotton?"

Why out of everything I could have said I chose to say that I will never know but when my mother's eyes caught sight of the bag of joints on the bed I was almost tempted to throw myself out the bedroom window. My heart was thundering in my chest as she casually picked it up by the edges bringing it to the center between us. I watched as her eyes wondered around the bag. Licking my lips I did my best to stay calm and to not all of the sudden fly into word diarrhea like I normally did but when her roaming eyes finally feel on me it was like I couldn't stop myself.

"There is a perfectly good explanation for that."

Cocking an eyebrow she set the bag back down on my bed, her eyes never leaving me.

"Oh yeah and what would that be?" she tested.

"See I've got Glaucoma-"

"Kaylee I was born, just not yesterday," she cut in.

"Alright then how about if I said I have night blindness?"

Before she turned away from me I caught a glimpse of a smile as she shook her head. I was at least victorious in this. Maybe there was still hope for us to fix things after all. I figured when she turned back to face me she would have righted herself but instead her face was warm with a light smile attached. She motioned down to the bag one more time before she turned to head back towards the door.

"Don't let your brother have any and kid, don't smoke it where the neighbors can see."

Giving her a swift nod I uncrossed my arms and followed her to the door.

"Will do and uh mom," with her hand on the door frame she turned back to me as I attempted to find the courage to get out what I needed to say. "I know that what I did wasn't the smartest thing in the world and that things can't go back to the way they were but…I want to try at least."

Shrugging my shoulders I brought my gaze up from my feet to look at her. She didn't really say anything at first just sort of stood there staring back at me until finally she lightly rubbed my shoulder with this sad look on her face.

"Good night Kay," she whispered before she disappeared back down the hall.

Once she was out of sight I let out a heavy sigh as I closed the door and walked back over to bed. Standing at the foot of the bed I placed my hands on my hips as I looked down at my clothes sprawled out against the hideous bedspread and at that stupid bag of joints LaLa had snuck into my bag. Speaking of LaLa…

I reached into my pockets to get my phone remembering that I had promised to send him that picture of the ridiculously hot neighbor. Typing in my password I waited for the screen to load before I went through my pictures and clicked on the newest one. My face feel into confusion as I stared at the picture and nothing was in it. I would have sworn that he had been standing right next to the damn green garbage can when I'd taken it but nothing was there! Finally I just decided to put picture taking under the list of things I'm awful at and decided to get ready for bed.

I'd just have to get LaLa's picture tomorrow.

**Thank you all so much for reading! If there is anything you'd like me to incorporate or anything you want to see let me know and I'll try and work it in :)) Reviews soothe my critical soul! MUCH LOVE!**


	3. PastPresent

**Thank you so much to all of you who have been reading and supporting this story and me! I apologize profusely for lagging on this chapter but it's finally up! There are 3 parts meant to be seperate times of the day. If you get confused I apologize once more. I love you all! Happy reading!**

There was a lot yelling and the sound of thundering footsteps going on. Grabbing my pillow I attempted to silence the horde of oncoming noise but it only seemed to make it grow louder.

"Charley! Are you up?"

"Yes!"

"Hurry up kid before you miss your ride!"

Rolling over I shielded my eyes from the sun that was peeking through the blinds as I glanced over at the clock.

7:28 in the morning. You gotta be fucking kidding me.

Letting out a groan I rolled myself back into my pillow muffling my sound of displeasure. It was too damn early in the morning for my brain to be functioning. I tried to drown them out by covering my ears with my arms to block them out. A few brief minutes passed in silence and I had the mistaking feeling that all was now clear and that they had dispersed downstairs or out the door. Like I'd said that thought had been a huge mistake on my part.

Two very loud knocks pierced the comforting silence of the room, my body flinching with each passing knock. I was tempted to scream at whoever it was to go away but reconsidered quickly at the thought that it was most likely my mother.

"What?" I screamed out, annoyed.

"Kaylee, you need to get up."

Yup I'd made a good call at not screaming "Fuck off!" at the door. I didn't want to open my eyes and begin to get up and I certainly didn't want to have an early morning conversation with my mother and I mean _way_ early.

"Why?" I whined.

"I'll tell you why when you get downstairs. Now."

Ugh why did she have to make the damn now sound so final? I waited until her footsteps descended down the stairs before I grabbed a hold of one of those stupid decorative pillows and pressed it against my face and began throwing my tantrum. I kicked out my legs causing the coverlet to fall and screamed as harshly into the pillow as I could for as long as possible.

I didn't want to go down there. I knew the minute we were alone she was going to rip me to shreds with her razor sharp mommy dearest claws. Taking the pillow away from my face I let it fall to the floor and just stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds. I let out a heavy sigh as I finally brought my legs over the edge of the bed and planted them firmly down on the carpet.

My mind was still in the fog that had been sleep; my refuge. Now here I was giggling as I watched my toes dance across the carpet like an idiot. Little by little though I was getting up the strength to walk down those steps and into the kitchen.

Once I was on my feet I sluggishly made my way to the door giving the bed backwards glances of longing before I opened the bedroom door and began to make my way down the stairs. As soon as I reached the last step the aroma of freshly made coffee filled my senses and instantly my step was filled with giddy anticipation as I rushed towards the kitchen and its smells.

I was so caught up in my sudden thirst for black coffee that I rounded the corner to the kitchen to sharply, slamming my toe into the corner of the wall. I let out a blood curdling scream as I hopped the rest of my way into the kitchen scrambling to the counter. Once I was there I ignored Charley and my mom all together as I gingerly took my throbbing foot in my hand.

"You sure do know how to make an entrance."

After I was sure that my toe wouldn't fall off I looked up at Charley and gave him the best death glare I could manage cradling my foot.

"You shut your filthy mouth, hussy!"

Mom just about choked on her damn coffee when she heard that. Charley on the other hand continued to eat his croissant; taking off a piece and to stick in his mouth with a smirk.

"Whatever you say-"

"I do say, jerk."

"Alright, alright," mom interjected. "Charley you better get going."

She placed her cup down on the center island and poured some cream into her coffee. I could feel her eyes burning holes into my leg tattoo. A wolf head with the background of the forest behind it covered the right side of my thigh. I quite liked it. Showed off my Native American history a bit. Mom did not look so enthused.

Stuffing his face with the rest of the croissant he bent down to scoop up his backpack, placing it swiftly over one shoulder. As he made his way to the door I straightened up fixing my tank top as I went.

"Woo, Kay, put on some pants would yeah?" he complained.

He tried to block my bottom half with his hand as he made his way past me.

"Oh grow up Charley they're just boy shorts," I snickered.

"They're underwear," he shot back firmly.

"Yeah, that's what boy shorts are but they also count as shorts. Hence the use of the word, shorts."

I was pretty pleased with myself on that one.

"Hence the word," he mocked.

He quickly maneuvered out of the way of my foot trying to connect with his knee. When he was almost to the door I called, "Hey, do you need a ride to school?"

I tried to keep the eagerness out of my voice but was ready to shoot up those stairs if he said yes.

"Kay mom's said I don't know how many times my ride is here."

I fought not to pout my defeat.

"Whatever then," I sulked.

Giving me a playful grin as he backed out of the kitchen to front door he spoke:

"Maybe tomorrow or something?"

And just like that the boy was gone and out the door leaving me in this awkward kitchen by myself. I didn't move from my spot until I heard the clicking of the door closing behind him, officially leaving me alone with our mother. Letting out a low sigh I turned on my heels deciding that I could do that cup of coffee. Only problem was I didn't remember where my mom kept her coffee cups.

"Second cupboard on your right."

Glancing back at her briefly I went to the cupboard she'd instructed and wouldn't you know it, there were the coffee cups.

"Thanks."

I took out a cup that was littered with a multitude of different colored daises and dragged my feet over to the coffee maker. I was being greedy with the coffee making sure that I had it almost to the brim.

"You don't gotta act like it's the worst thing in the world to be left alone with me, Kaylee."

I set the coffee pot back on its cradle and turned to give her my full undivided attention. Well, technically, the coffee was going to divide us a little as I took long, luxurious sips of black coffee.

"I never said it was."

"Well you certainly act like it."

Shrugging I took one of those divided sips.

"Let's be honest mom you aren't exactly as warm and welcoming as Charley."

That earned me a slight smirk with a look crossed between disapproval and amusement. She knew I had seen right through her just like she had me. Taking a stance at the edge of the island she placed her arms wide, palms flat, against the granite island top. Once she had herself positioned like we were about to do battle she finally gave me that look that I had been dreading: She was better than me.

This time when I went and took a drink of my coffee it wasn't a little sip. I took the biggest gulp I could of the burning liquid and felt sweet relief as it blistered all the way down.

"Yeah well…consider this me still being in shock that you came back without me finding you in a body bag."

"Jesus Christ."

Without a second thought I half slide half slammed my still very full cup of coffee down on my side of the counter, crossing my arms across my chest like a defensive barrier.

"Don't you think you're being just a little overdramatic?"

"How do you figure?" She challenged.

"Obviously because I'm standing right in front of you means I'm not dead. Also, I'm slightly offended that you think I would be dead because come on mom, I've got…talents."

"And it's those very "talents" that I wanted to talk to you about."

"Here we go," I grumbled.

"Yes Kaylee here we go!"

Squaring her shoulders she pushed away from the Island and learned back against her side of the counter. I had to give it to her; Jane Brewster never backed down to nobody. Even if she did come out of it looking like a scared rabbit.

"How long do you plan on staying?"

Fuck. Was she trying to kick me out already? I let out a huff of air as I rubbed the back of my neck. Staring up at the ceiling for a brief second I tried to collect my thoughts.

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well were you just coming to stop in really quick to relive your greatest hits or did you plan on actually staying for a while?"

Now she was just being vicious.

"I had _planned_ on staying for a while."

"Alright then that wasn't so hard was it?"

"Maybe."

She gave me a short look as she ran her hands down her blouse tugging at it tightly when she reached the bottom.

"If you're going to be staying I would like to go over a few ground rules."

This should be good. I motioned with my hand for her to continue as I did my best to look confident standing in my morning attire.

"First off I would like you to go out and look for a job and if you don't want to get one then go back to school. If you want to stay in this house Kaylee you're going to have to earn it and the start is by doing either of those two options. Secondly, you can help me out around the house here and there, which also reminds me that the sink has been acting up. If you could go ahead and take a look at that for me I'd appreciate it."

"Should I be taking notes or something?" I questioned quickly before the woman could catch her breath.

She didn't seem to appreciate my humor either.

"Do you seriously need me to write it down for you?"

I waved her off as I moved off my side of the counter and walked over to get some paper towels. My coffee fit had made it spill everywhere and in honesty I just wanted a reason to do something else besides listen to her list.

"No I was just-"

"Being a smart ass I know."

Grabbing her purse off the island she dug around inside of it until she produced her keys and started towards the front door.

"You know I'm not a plumber nor have I ever been one. I don't know the first thing about pipes."

Stopping in the door way she didn't even grace me with a full turn as she replied back, "You're a smart girl. You can figure it out."

I waited for her to turn around before I rolled my eyes and went back to wiping the mess I made off of the counter.

"Oh and Kaylee-"

What the fuck now?

"I'd appreciate it if you could pick Charley up from school and can you do me a favor and not break in and steal anything from the neighbors? That would be great, thanks."

That one did it but just as I slapped down the now soaked paper towel to turn and tell her off she was already out the front door. I couldn't see how this was going to work if she repeatedly kept throwing old shit in my face.

Letting out a heavy sigh I threw away the paper towel and put my half full cup of coffee in the sink. I didn't want it anymore; I'd had all the bitter I could handle for one morning.

Clark High.

Man how I did not miss this place. High school had not been the best years of my life spent and yes, if you were wondering I was one of those people who ended up getting a classy GED because I didn't make it all four years. Okay well, technically, I could have made it I just decided I liked doing…other extracurricular activities that did not involve school.

I glanced down at my watch one last time to make sure that I wasn't five minutes fast. I wanted that damn bell to ring that very second because even though I really loved my baby, she was a bitch to sit in. Especially in the dry, humid, and utterly gross Nevada heat. Heat and I were not meant to be and even with my windows rolled down the only thing that blew in was warm air. Letting out a groan I let my head fall onto my steering wheel causing my horn to honk. I didn't care I just really wished my air conditioner wasn't broken.

At the sound of the bell ringing I shot my head up so fast from the wheel I ended up a little dizzy. A sea of kids began to pour out from the inside of the school and scattered out and around. Some of them going to their predicted rides while others stood next to what I could only assume were their own cars and chatted away with friends. I'm sure the only thing most these kids talked about on a deep level was whose house they were going to use to party at this weekend.

I continued to scan the crowd and couldn't help but laugh as Charley appeared from behind a group of guys and was holding the hand of a girl. She was tall, lean, and from afar seemed very pretty. When Charley looked at her though I could see even from here the kid was in love.

"Oh hell," I muttered to myself as I watched on.

They were talking rapidly about something that both had them smiling from ear to ear. He had her laughing at something when they stopped at the edge of the sidewalk looking at each other like they were about to eat each other's faces off. He looked so cute and relaxed with her. I almost felt like I was intruding and was about to look away when he caught sight of me. Instantly his whole demeanor changed as he pulled back from her and played with the strap of his backpack. She noticed it too as he said something quickly that caused the girl to look in my direction and back at Charley. I was sure he was informing her I was his sister and not some other woman or at least I hoped he was. Charley and I didn't really look alike and it would be incredibly awkward if she thought I was his other lady.

In a split second he gave her a tense but fast kiss on the cheek and walked briskly towards the Impala. Now my curiosity was peaked as my face scrunched up in thought.

"How long have you been sitting there?" he asked sheepishly.

The kid looked about two seconds away from having a meltdown.

"Long enough," I replied back coolly. Nudging my head toward the inside of the Impala I said, "Get in."

He didn't waste another second as he rushed around the front of the car and moved quickly to the passenger's side. The door let out a loud creak as he swung it open and we both almost cried as he slammed it shut with such a force it screamed all the way.

"Jesus Charley, be more careful with my baby would you?"

His face was such a pale white as his teeth bit along his lip. Why the hell was he acting like it was the end of the world that I had saw him with his girlfriend? I was still looking at him weird as more questions than answers filled my head as I turned the ignition and the Impala roared to life.

That got everyone's attention.

"Can you just feel these animals undressing my baby with their eyes?" I joked.

I was rewarded with a small smirk but the look of pure terror never left Charley's face. He was trying to hide it but he was always horrible at it. Even when we'd play hide and go seek, he couldn't hide for shit.

"I'm pretty sure it isn't your car they are undressing."

"You calling my baby ugly?" I rubbed my hands lovingly across the wheel and cooed, "It's okay baby he didn't mean it."

"You are so weird," he chuckled.

"Whatever you love it."

I put my foot down on the break as I got ready to put the car into drive when I noticed the two most unlikely people. The kind of joy that swept over me was indescribable.

"Holy shit!" I squealed. "Ed! Adam!" I screamed out my window.

"Oh fuck, Kaylee don't!" Charley groaned beside me.

I turned back to look at Charley as he acted like he wanted to die.

"What's your problem?" I snapped.

He just gave me a blank look as he tried to suppress what I could only guess as anger and embarrassment. Ignoring him I turned back to where I had seen the boys and hung myself partially out the window and called to them again. At first I wasn't sure they realized it was me but when they did they instantly took off towards my car.

I was so excited to see these kids. Adam and Ed to me were a part of my family. I had watched as Charley and they would come up with the most outrageous but hilarious skits and games to play when they were little. Whenever they would play Dungeons & Dragons I would totally play with them and even when they had been nine or ten, I would pretend to be the evil enchantress that they had to slay to get to the princess I kept up in my tower. These kids would always have a special place in my heart.

"Holy fuck! Kaylee! Is that you?" Ed asked first.

The boys stopped just inches away from the Impala like they weren't all too sure it wasn't a stranger. I gave them a big grin as I remembered my little nickname for them all.

"Yes my little Munsters it is me."

They both just about shit themselves when I said it to them.

"When did you get back in town?" Adam asked.

"Just last night man so I haven't been back too long."

Looking past me they both stared at Charley who to my surprise was staring straight ahead and out the window. Completely ignoring our exchange and looked like he had no interest in joining it either. Slapping his arm to get his attention he did a silent gasp as he turned to me, his hand lightly holding his arm.

"What?"

"Aren't you gonna say hello?"

He looked away from me to the boys behind me and gave them the lamest wave, smile, and hello combo I had ever been subjected too.

"Wow okay," I murmured as I turned back to face them. "You boys want a ride home?"

My reply was Adam and Ed clambering over each other to get into the backseat. I couldn't stop laughing.

"Kay, do we have time to drop them off?"

I was still doing little giggles as I turned to face Charley who had this awkward pleading look on his face. What was the boy's problem?

"What are you talking about? They live right next to us Char- Char-."

He looked defeated as he gave me a simple nod and turned to look straight back out the window. If the kid pressed his lips together any harder they were going to disappear. I felt an odd sadness creep into my heart as I realized Charley was trying to distance himself from the boys in my backseat; trying to pretend that they didn't exist. I didn't know what to say so instead I didn't say anything as I put the car in drive and pulled out from the curb.

Dusk was settling over the day as I pulled up into my mom's driveway. It was my first day officially back at the house and already it had felt like an eternity. After I had dropped the boys off I headed back into town to do the things that my mom had asked. I filled out a few applications and even went and picked up a few brochures from a few community colleges to kind of play around with. The only thing that I wasn't going to get to today was the whole sink thing. If worst came to worst I would just call an actual plumber out and pay for it and _then_ take the credit for his work. That was the easiest way to go about that whole situation.

What I was most excited about was while I was out around town I had stopped by an auto shop and bought the parts I needed to fix the air conditioner in my baby. Talk about joy overload. If I was going to stay here I was going to have to fix my air conditioner. It was just non-negotiable.

Opening my door I quickly exited the vehicle and raced to the trunk, with parts in hand, to pop it open and take out my grease covered cover-all. I set the parts down on top of my toolbox and began to step into it wiggling and hoping it up my legs. I no doubt probably looked like a crazy person. Once I had it on I tied the arms around my waist and grabbed my toolbox and all and shut the trunk, making my way back towards the front of the Impala.

Was it wrong that I felt giddy? Ah, the things I would do for cold air.

I set the toolbox down at the front of the Impala as I lifted the hood. It was getting too dark outside for me to really see anything properly. Cursing under my breath I placed my hands on my hips as I ran my tongue over my teeth. I was hoping I could come up with some kind of plan but I had nothing.

A door slammed to my left and instantly my head followed the sound.

My mom's hot ass neighbor was unloading groceries. Well, if you call a 30 pack of Budweiser and a bag full of what appeared to be green apples, groceries. Apparently the man really liked green apples.

I couldn't stop staring as I watched his biceps flex from the strain, showing off his arms incredibly well. Today he was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and tee shirt and boy did he look good in that tee shirt. If I didn't stop staring I was pretty sure I was going to start drooling like I was some sort of lecher.

"Do you see Adam? He does not show up on the video!"

"Oh man he is so screwed!"

Walking around the side of the car I followed the voices down the driveway until I found two sets of legs peeking out from underneath my mom's wood trailer.

"What are you guys doing under there?"

I said it a little louder than I had intended causing not only the boys to jump but the neighbor to halt his progress to his house.

"Oh fuck!"

I couldn't tell which one of them said it but when they both surfaced from underneath the trailer and stood before me, they were both equally terrified. In Ed's left hand he was clutching tightly to a video camera. Now I was a little worried.

I pointed at the recorder as I took a stance.

"What were you doing with that?" I leaned in closer as I asked, "Where you recording my mom's neighbor?"

I was praying to God that they would deny it or at least jump straight into a denial like most guilty people do, but they were still so terrified that they had been caught they just stood there. I let out a heavy sigh as I crossed my arms.

"No we weren't we were just- just-"

"Making a video with hand puppets," Adam finished hurriedly.

Raising my eyebrow I bit down on my tongue to keep from laughing.

"Uh huh, hand puppets. So, where are these hand puppets?"

Adam actually pretended to look around for the supposed puppets while Ed just looked at him like he wanted to strangle him. Glancing back behind them the neighbor had stopped his decent into the house, his brows furrowed with what best I could make out was curiosity. When he caught sight of me staring he flashed me one of the most dizzyingly attractive smiles I had ever seen and finished going inside. Good thing he had too because after that damn smile I wasn't sure I was going to be able to walk.

Bringing my attention back to the boys they had started to slowly move down the driveway and I casually followed them.

"We're just gonna go back to Ed's house now."

Shrugging I replied, "Okay. Let's try not to record anybody on the way though."

They both laughed uneasily as they didn't even spare me a backwards glance as they bolted down the street. Chuckling I made my way back up the driveway and stopped short when I realized I still didn't have a light to fix my car.

"Damn."

I guess I was just going to have to wait until my mom came home to see if she had a stand up light I could use. I did a raspberry as I thought of what I could do to pass the time and looked up at Charley's window. I still hadn't talked to him about what had happened earlier today and deep down I honestly knew I didn't want to talk about it period. I had known from the beginning that something's would be different and it didn't matter if I liked it or not.

Shaking my head I tried to get rid of my train of thought before it depressed me further. Instead I reached down inside the cover-all and into the front of my jeans pocket and pulled out the lone joint I had been carrying around with me all day.

"Fuck it."

I headed towards the backyard double checking that no one was outside. I pushed open the fence and made my way into the backyard. It was really dark out here which I liked. Well it was dark until I took the last step from the gravel and onto the grass and in one smooth motion, the flood lights kicked on. Acting like my own personal spot light for what I was about to do.

Awesome.

My paranoia went up a couple notches as I double checked once again that I couldn't hear anyone outside. Taking out a lighter from the same front pocket I put the joint between my lips and began to light it, taking in a deep hit.

"That's illegal you know."

Who the fuck was that?

I turned to face the individual who owned the voice and felt my eyes widen as I caught sight of my mom's hot fucking neighbor staring blankly at me with a sexy smirk on his face. In my panic I went to blow out the smoke but instead it came burning its way out into a sputtering cough that sent me reeling. It felt like my lungs were on fire. Throwing the joint back towards the patio I covered my mouth with the back of my hand as I began to get the cough under control.

"Jesus Christ!"

He was definitely taller and ten times more attractive than I had first thought now that he was standing right in front of me.

I tried to collect myself and reclaim some ground by narrowing my shoulders and dropping my hand away from my mouth.

"What are you doing in my backyard?"

Ugh my voice sounded rough. I needed water.

"I came back to ask you about those kids that were out front earlier," he stated calmly.

He had a nice voice.

"You just can't come walking into someone's backyard like that!" I continued waving my hands around like a mad woman. "That's called trespassing, yeah know."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, clearly amused by my attempt to stay away from my own illegal crime.

"Who do you think will get in more trouble if the cops are called?"

Fuck, he totally had a point. Running a hand through my hair I faced him and began to plead.

"Look man-"

"Jerry," he interjected.

I gave him a brief annoyed look before I continued.

"Look _Jerry,_ please don't call the cops. I will do whatever you want, I'll do chores, and I mean I don't know carpentry but if you asked me to help you with a table or cabinets I would bust out with some carpentry skills like Jesus. Just whatever you do, don't call the cops."

For what felt like forever he just stood there with that amused look on his face and just looked at me. After a few minutes of standing under his gaze I couldn't help but begin to fidget. He seemed oddly domineering. Finally he spoke:

"You know how to work on cars."

He said it more as a statement than a question. So I didn't answer it like one.

"How do you know?"

I gotta admit, for someone who wasn't in the best place to be bargaining, I sure was sounding bitchy. Clearing my throat I gave him a weak smile and hoped that smoothed it over. Ignoring me completely he pointed down. Following his fingers I realized he was pointing at my cover-all. I tried to keep my nervous, idiotic giggling to myself.

"Oh yeah," I giggled as I played with the sleeves tied around my waist.

"My truck has been acting up lately. I've been meaning to take it to a shop but with my busy schedule…"he trailed off.

"You just haven't been able too," I finished for him.

He gave me a nod followed by a teeth-baring smile that showed off a perfect set of white teeth. I had to look down just to make sure that my pants were still on. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear I replied fervently, "Yeah, yeah sure thing man."

He pointed behind him to his house and all I saw was that bicep flex.

"Would you mind coming over right now? Just a quick look."

"Yeah, no problem."

I started forward letting him know I was ready to go and with one last smile he turned and made his way back to the fence, and like a good girl, I followed him to his garage.

**Reviews feed my soul :))**


	4. My Very Own Twilight Zone

**I know...this has been a long time coming and I had seriously lagged on you guys. Hopefully you will forgive me with this chapter. It's short but hopefully awesome! ENJOY!**

* * *

><p>The walk to Jerry's garage felt like it was taking a life time and every time he glanced behind to make sure I was following, for some reason, it made me stop dead in my tracks. I felt a little silly doing this but I couldn't shake this weird feeling I kept getting. My mind kept racing back to moments before to that domineering look and that feeling that maybe, just maybe, he had been toying with me.<p>

Or then again I could just be acting paranoid due to the fact the guy had caught me smoking pot in the lovely wide open backyard of my mothers. What was the lesson that I had learned today? Could it be to stop smoking pot or to not smoke pot in open areas like a dumbass? Both were sound arguments and had their points. I was so lost up in my own world that I hadn't realized that I had followed Jerry right into his garage. His very ominous, dark, and what seemed empty garage.

Will the most paranoid person in the room please stand up?

It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness and even after I still couldn't see crap. Although the inside of the garage was already pitch dark Jerry's shape took a menacing position against one of the darkest corners of the room that lead to the door into the house. I tried to remain calm but it was becoming more and more difficult the longer he decided to play Golem in the damn corner like that. Suddenly I was blinded with the brightest fucking light and attempted to block it.

"Oh, sorry didn't know it was facing your way."

He honestly sounded less than apologetic but…I wasn't here under guest capacity. I was here as the girl who got caught doing something super illegal and is desperately trying not to have the cops called on her, capacity.

Taking a second look at the jumbo light that had been shined in my eyes my jaw almost dropped to the floor before I caught it. Jerry had a very high grade piece of construction equipment and that lamp was nowhere near cheap. I watched as he maneuvered it around until he was satisfied with its placement and moved back to give me an impassive look. It shouldn't have been human to be able to give such an expressionless look. Finally he broke into that stunning smile but this time it appeared to be too drastic of a change and my brain didn't seem it was able to follow. So like the special little person that I am I just sort of stood there and didn't move a muscle.

Jerry didn't seem to mind at all as he motioned behind himself to his house.

"I'm gonna run inside really quick and grab a beer. You want one?"

"Uhm yeah sure man, that'd be great thanks."

I struggled to get some chipper-ness into my voice but if anything I made it sound worse. Without a second look Jerry turned quite quietly on his heel and headed on into his house the sound of the door clicking letting me know he truly had exited the garage.

Once he was gone my chest let out a heavy breath. I hadn't realized I had been holding my breath the whole time. What was up with me all of the sudden? Taking in a deep breath through my nose I began to shake out my hands as I exhaled and slowly turned in a circle to take in his garage. Besides the Dodge pickup that was patiently waiting for me to take a look at it, a few boxes in the far right corner, and a small cabinet to my immediate left there was nothing in the garage. It looked like even the walls had been stripped as the raw drywall added a bit of awkward coloring to the room.

"I've been meaning to re-do the walls."

Jerry's voice cut through the silence like a knife and startled the living shit out of me. Gasping I turned around to face him, my hand clasped tightly over my heart as I tried to calm my nerves. When did he come back outside and how the hell did he get so close to me?

Not only had I not heard him come back outside but when I turned around Jerry was a mere fraction away from me. That is something that a person usually notices, someone entering their personal bubble. Giving him a tight smile I took the cool Budweiser he extended out towards me and eagerly took a big gulp. I could feel him watching me when I pulled the bottle away from my mouth and I thought long and hard about what was going on.

The sooner I got this over with the sooner I could leave.

"Do you have tools I could use?" I asked trying to be extra polite.

What ended up coming out was my voice sounding more girlie than usual. I followed him over to the cabinet and watched as he swiftly opened it and removed a classic red tool chest from inside. I willingly took it from him and walked over to the front of the truck and waited for him to pop the engines cover.

"So what exactly has it been doing lately?"

Seemed like a routine enough question.

"Well it's been making this sort of clunky noise and just recently I've noticed it's been leaking oil over the cover gaskets. I tried tightening the bolts but it doesn't seem to do anything."

Setting the tool chest down I looked inside and was happily surprised to find a small flashlight and clean rags off in the corner. Picking up the first and pocketing the latter I lifted up the trucks engine cover and propped it up with its kick stand.

"The clunky noise could be a result of something going wrong with either having loose wheel lug nuts, loose brake pads; could be a number of things. Once I get under the side I'll see what I can find out for you."

I turned on the flashlight and immediately dove into the work. Since the truck was lifted a little higher than it was manufactured I had to dance around here and there on my tiptoes.

Finely I found the oil leakage problem he had told me about and whistled when I saw the mess that it had been making.

"Man, you sure weren't kidding about a leak," I said mildly.

"That bad, huh?"

I did my best to lean in farther, biting down on my tongue as I strained to get a good look at the valve cover gaskets. I was so intent on my goal that I hadn't realized I was about to lose my footing. Just when my finger wiped away the excess oil and exposed the culprit my right foot lost footing and down I went. I let out a yelp as my arms flailed around me and closed my eyes tight as I got ready to feel the sharp impact of the pavement.

When I felt nothing I squinted one eye open and looked around. I was still vertical. Opening my other eye I took in the room and realized that a pair of strong hands were holding on to my waist and that a very hard body was pressed up against my back. I turned as quickly, not to mention as politely, as I could out of his grip and gave him…a thumbs up?

Oh kill me now! Quickly I dropped my hand down and hoped to god that the blushing wouldn't be too noticeable.

"Thanks for that," I muttered.

"No problem," he stated coolly.

I don't know how I didn't notice until now but his eyes were dark, almost obsidian even, and those obsidian eyes just stared back at me cold and lifeless. Sure Jerry sent me another stunning smile but it never reached his eyes they just remained icy and unmoving. I fought not to shiver until he turned to head back over to lean against the cabinet and I turned to get back to work. I wanted out of here before this turned into the fucking Twilight Zone.

"It looks like you have for sure a leaky gasket. You can easily fix it yourself or have someone else do it for you. Either way if you do it yourself and buy the gasket, it'll only be 20 bucks at most." I took out the oil stick and saw that his oil was way below low. "And you might want to pick up some more oil as well."

"I'll make sure to write that down," he replied.

Now he sounded amused. I looked over at him and wasn't surprised to find him leaning back against the cabinet, his arms lazily crossed so he could still take languid sips of his beer. He looked down-right edible and I was willing to bet that he knew it too.

"So how's your family reunion going?"

I stopped cold as his question made my body freeze up with tension.

"How did you know it's a family reunion?"

He gave a graceful shrug as he took another sip of his beer and blessing me with his full attention. Lucky me.

"Well, to be honest I sorta heard you talking on you're phone the other day when you were standing in my driveway not mention, I've been here for about a month now and I've never seen your car before."

Those were all perfectly good explanations and proved that he wasn't some crazy dude whose house I had just so willingly decided to walk in. I was just being overly paranoid and it was going to give me a goddamn heart attack.

"Oh," was all I could come up with.

Grabbing my beer I took another rushed drink as I prayed the alcohol would hit me soon.

"Your dad ducked out on yeah, huh."

The question caught me so off guard I choked on the beer some and instantly started coughing. Why was it that every time I looked in his general direction he seemed to be more and more amused with each passing minute? I set my beer back down and began to bring down the top.

"Yeah he did a few years back but he wasn't my dad."

"No?"

"Nope, John was Charley's dad. My dad, from what I've always been told, was a dead beat who would rather be addicted to peyote than take care of his daughter. So I say fuck'em."

"That doesn't bother you at all?"

"Why should it? I've never met the guy and obviously he has never wanted to meet me. Why cry over spilt milk?"

A weird smile crept over Jerry's lips that strangely reminded me of the cat who ate the canary.

"I like that spilt milk line. Never gets old."

Dropping the hood down, I made sure that it was locked in place before I began to clean the oil off of my hands with the rag.

"Sure, it's a classic."

In one smooth motion Jerry pushed himself off of the cabinet and made his way towards me. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. My body was screaming at me to move but I couldn't. I was transfixed by the fluidness of his motions and with the sensuality in which he walked. It didn't seem normal for a man to be able to move like that but here I was witnessing it with my own eyes. In what felt like brief seconds he was next to me. He brushed my hair behind my back and I felt the cool breeze from outside tickle my now bare neck.

Jerry was incredibly close so close that I was afraid if I swallowed he was going to hear it.

"Do you want to know something?" he asked playfully.

Somehow I had become mesmerized by those obsidian eyes and all I could seem to do way slowly shake my head yes.

"The cat is known as the most vindictive animal on the planet. When they decide on a piece of prey, the follow it around: taunting it and teasing it. Playing with it and letting it believe that it has a chance to go free right before they play with it one last time…and end its life."

While he told his little factoid story his eyes had began to dance with a feverish excitement and when his hand slid around my waist I couldn't think of a reason why he shouldn't have been touching me, even though his words chilled me to the bone.

"That's cool. You learn that from Animal Planet?" I asked meekly.

My heart began to pound uncontrollably as his eyes broke away from mine, his lips barely skimming mine, before his mouth dipped down low to my neck.

My _neck_ of all places!

But all thoughts were stripped away when I felt his lips graze softly against my throat, instantly making me catch my breath. I felt the grip of his fingers tighten around my waist as he inhaled deeply.

Did this dude seriously just sniff me?

My nerves were screaming at me that something about this was way off and my heart began to pound so loud I thought it was a bass drum. This only seemed to encourage Jerry even more as his lips continued to dance to the rhythm my heart made.

"Kaylee? Kaylee what the fuck are you doing in there?"

I knew that voice! At the sound of Ed's voice Jerry instantly grew tense while his lips stopped their dance immediately.

"Kaylee I know you are in there! Get the fuck out here now!"

Reluctantly Jerry pulled away from me and before he could right himself I caught sight of the most malicious face I had ever seen. How could someone who looked so beautiful be able to make such an awful face?

Once he released me I happily backed away from him and began to move around him and back towards the garage entrance.

"Uhm, I'll be back to finish up sometime I promise," I stammered.

I couldn't get the fuck out of there fast enough and my mind still couldn't process what exactly just happened in that man's garage. Shooting the garage one last look I finally stopped in front of Ed who had his hands placed on his hips and his foot tapping rapidly.

"Mind telling me what the hell you were doing in there?" He screeched.

"Geez, calm down Ed I was just talking a look at his truck for him."

"In the dark, Kaylee? What the fuck could you see in the dark?"

"What are you talking about the light-"

My breath caught as I realized that the whole entire garage was pitch black all over again. Had the light been on when I exited the garage? Had it been on at all? Turning back to Ed I tried to hide the fear that began to creep its way up my throat and threatened to come howling out.

"Have you been playing Resident Evil again? You know what that does to you when you start playing it."

"This is not because I've been playing Resident Evil Kaylee!"

I held up my hands in surrender and wrapped a quick arm around his shoulder and started to lead him back towards the house. For some reason I was going to feel much better being on my mom's side of the fence.

"What do you say to having a cup of hot chocolate with me, Ed?"

He shot a quick look up to Charley's glowing window and looked back down at his feet.

"You sure Charley isn't going to throw a bitch fit?"

He sounded so heartbroken. It killed me to hear it come from the kid.

"I didn't say have a cup with you, me, _and_ Charley, Ed. I said with _me_ and if Charley wants to throw a bitch fit he can do so up in his room and away from us."

I gave Ed the best give'em hell smile I could and was rewarded with a genuine smile from him.

"Alright, I'm down."

"That 'a boy!" I teased as I pinched his cheek.

He tried to wiggle free from my pinches but I pulled him in closer with my arm I had locked around his shoulders and gave out an evil chuckle as he tried to fight back.

"Seriously, Kaylee this wasn't fun in 6th grade and it isn't fun now!"

Finally I let him up as we were almost to the front door. I was sure mom was going to be excited to see Ed. From the sound of it Ed or Adam hadn't been by in a long time and mom had always liked them. As Ed headed inside I shot a quick glance back over towards Jerry's garage and caught sight of a dark figure peeking around the corner of the garage. I stifled back a cry as I quickly went inside and decided maybe it was best I stayed away from Jerry and his garage for a while.

* * *

><p><strong>So what did you guys think? I'm dying to know!<strong>


	5. Hide and Seek

**I apologize profusely for dragging ass so long with this update! Please, please, please forgive me! I'm now finally intergrating the movie into the story and from here on out shits about to go down! I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The weekend had dragged on seemingly uneventful. After late Friday night I didn't hear from Ed or Adam again. I had tried calling Adam on Saturday but all it did was go straight to his voicemail and when I had called Ed he told me he was out looking for Adam. I'd offered my services but he quickly declined them saying that it would be easier finding Adam on his own. He was up to something and he knew that I knew. He also knew that he did a piss poor job at hiding it. Ed, just like Charley, had always been super easy for me to read.<p>

During the weekend I had also had time to think about what had happened that night in Jerry's garage. At the time it had all seemed completely fucking nuts but now that I had thought it through, I had probably just been overacting because of my nerves. It didn't seem fair to take it all out on Jerry. Nevertheless, I made sure to stay clear of him and mainly kept to myself in the house. I still wasn't accusing him of anything I just wanted to make sure that I kept my mind open and didn't jump back into conclusions.

I had even started getting used to the whole waking up super early in the morning thing. Which lead me to taking out today's trash while mom loaded up the back of the minivan with her Century 21 marketing posts. I was even properly dressed well, if you call cut-off shorts and an off the shoulder 80's David Bowie tee properly dressed.

Reaching the end of driveway I slide the garbage out onto the street and noticed Charley jumping onto his bike trying to most likely to kick start it. He bounced briefly in the seat and looked at it in complete disappointment as he got back off of it. My giggling must have been a lot louder than I had intended because almost immediately he looked in my direction and gave me the finger. Still giggling I gladly gave him mine back in return.

He started forward with the bike but stopped short when a very petite and pretty girl rolled her garbage can down to the end of her driveway. The minute she spoke to Charley his body took on a whole new posture as he padded his seat and threw up a surfer sign making her giggle. As she said her goodbye's and sauntered back to the house I couldn't help but chuckle as his eyes were glued to her butt as she made her exit.

"Kay don't encourage him," mom scalded as she nudged my arm.

"There's no way he could've heard me, mom."

"Oh I definitely heard you," he said as he rolled the bike past me and up the driveway.

I followed up right behind him as mom stood at the back of the minivan fixing her earrings.

"Hey kid, don't leer at the neighbors."

"I think leering is a bit of an understatement."

Quickly I dodged out of the way of Charley's hand that I assumed was meant to connect with my shoulder. Geez what was with everyone wanting to hit me today?

"She's the one that put the word on her butt I'm just reading it."

"And what a good Samaritan you are Charley!" I cooed.

I tried to swoop in to pinch his cheeks but he swiftly knocked my hand down while his other reached around and tagged me on my shoulder. Gingerly I rubbed it while I gave him a pouty face instantly making him laugh.

"Ugh is he ever going to move that dumpster?"

"Ah mom come on you gotta get over it," Charley shot back.

He waved his arm indicating the dumpster in question. I turned and watched as our mother looked at him like he had just sprouted a second head. Her eyebrows rose in surprise but she covered it up fast as she headed back in to the garage to pick up more of her posts.

"Attitude," she mumbled.

I coughed back a laugh as she gave me a fierce glare and loaded two more posts into the back of the van.

"Gee Charley been sharpening your fangs?" I teased.

Ignoring me mom went straight into interrogating him.

"Maybe it's stress or something?"

Pursing his lips together Charley shot me a look pleading with me to intervene. I gave him a Cheshire cat smile and threw up my hands letting him know he was on his own. This was just too fun not to watch. Plus it was nice not to be on the receiving end for once.

"Amy?"

"Amy's good," he shot back quickly his hands fidgeting with the screw driver. "Hasn't dumped me yet so…"

I was a tad confused until I remembered the blonde headed girl I had seen with Charley last Friday at school. Reaching over I gently punched his shoulder making him jump just a little.

"You ass why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?"

Charley looked like he was only seconds away from having a panic attack. I watched as the wheels started to turn in his head. He didn't know what to say to me and I honestly don't know what he should have even said.

He didn't really have to tell me sorry since it was his own business to tell but…him not trusting me enough to actually tell me, well, it stung a little. Let me rephrase that, it didn't just sting a little; it stung a whole helluva lot. Looking at my baby brother now though I realized that I was expecting too much thinking that I deserved for him to tell me everything about his life when I hadn't really earned the right yet. I had been gone so long and being back now it felt like I had become an outsider. I didn't even really know who my brother was anymore and this was no one's fault but my own. Sadness began to grip itself around my heart as I looked at him and realized in four years everything had changed more than I could've ever realized.

But here I was standing here in deep thought probably looking like a robot. Quickly I placed a smile on my face and tried to make myself seem as cheerful as possible. Hopefully it wasn't a creepy amount of cheerful.

"You've got a girlfriend and you're over here checking out the neighbor's booty? You filthy man!"

The tension eased from his shoulders as a slight smile curled his lips. He brought his attention back to mom and I made my way into the inside of the garage.

"Everything with Amy is fine."

"You know getting what you want can be stressful especially when you aren't used to getting it. More to lose," she added as she made her way back towards the garage.

"You been reading those books, power of whatever the hell? Because they are definitely not working." Just like before he tried jumping on the bike, kicking out hard hoping to start it. "And neither is this bike," he mumbled in defeat.

"You know I'm more interested in the fact that I've been here for a few days now and this is the first time I've heard mom complain about the neighbors dumpster. It's quite a shocker."

Charley shot me a pleading look but it was too late. The words had already left my mouth before I could stop them.

"Oh come on it's an eyesore!" she hollered as she shoved a post into the trunk.

"Mom come on, you still can't be tripping out on some guys box."

"Apparently Charley she can and is!" I giggled.

She jabbed her finger in our direction giving us serious looks.

"You two go ahead and laugh but I'm trying to get people to move in here not join the legions moving party."

"I like that word, _legions_."

"That your word for the day?" I teased.

"I'm just going to have to have a talk with him about it because it is a total mess I mean where did all this concrete come from, huh? He isn't building a pool so where?"

Charley and I walked to stand beside her but fought on who would actually _stand _beside her. I ended up getting the short end of that stick. Watching her look around at the dumpster and Jerry's yard like a mad woman I was beginning to regret ever bringing it up.

Leaning in Charley said, "Maybe if you spy some more you'll find out."

A big smile spread across her face as she placed her hand on the side of the van.

"The guy lives three feet from our house. It's not spying."

I snorted and instantly went into a fake coughing fit as I tried to hide my hysterical laughter that started bubbling up.

"Awh come on mom not even you believe that," I giggled.

"Fine it's merely observing," she corrected.

Pushing away from the van she grabbed the trunks door and slammed it shut.

"I think even in Nevada they call that stalking."

Charley busted up laughing as he moved a few inches away from the van and moms palm that was playfully swatting us away.

"Go ahead and laugh it up you two."

From the corner of my eye I caught a green Volkswagen Beetle pulling up to the driveway. Instantly the space was filled with the sounds of girls giggling, music, and a silent cloud of mixed assortments of perfumes that drifted up and tickled my nose. I brushed my fingers across my nose hoping to get rid of the clashing of smells but it didn't work.

"Hey Mrs. Brewster!" Amy yelled chirpily to my mom.

Or at least I hope she was Amy. She was the only blonde in the car not to mention the driver. I leaned over to my mom and whispered, "Amy's the blonde one right?"

Still smiling she gave me a quick nod of affirmation.

"Hey girls!"

I watched as my mom gave them a girlie wave acting like a giddy teenager. Looking back at her in the car I took an assessment of her as Charley started his way forward. She was indeed awfully pretty with her blonde hair looking sun kissed with a nice California surfer girl wave to it. A smile just as big as my mom's spread across my face as I opted to do a small wave of hello to the girls.

"Hey," I called out meekly, "I'm Kaylee."

The two girls in the backseat immediately stopped smiling when they caught sight of me but Amy's only wilted around the edges slightly. She wasn't any more pleased to see me then the other girls were but she was being polite, if only to save face with my mom and Charley. Her eyes scanned me briefly and from the look she had when she was done I think it was safe to say she didn't like what she saw.

"Hey."

As if that snapped my mom out of some kind of daze she lurched forward trying to grab Charley's attention.

"Oh hey I forgot, Ed called _again_," she said solemnly. "I'm getting tired of making excuses for you Charley if you don't want to talk to him then just tell him."

I felt my face grow slack as every word she spoke hit me like a brick. Shrugging his shoulders he looked like he could've cared less if Ed had called.

"Kind of defeats the purpose."

Hearing Charley talk so carelessly about his friends, like they didn't matter, made me wince. Over the past weekend I had grown to understand that Charley and the boys didn't really hang out or even talk much anymore and from what Ed had told me, Charley had become somewhat of a dick. I hadn't really believed him but with the words he just spoke as evidence how could I deny it now?

Turning his back to us he made his way towards the car and was heading around the back when I called to him.

"Hey Charley when you get home I could help you and see if I can find out what's wrong with the bike. I mean, if you want," I added in hesitantly.

I stuck my hands down into my pockets as I rocked back on my heels. It felt like an eternity as he considered it and the girls eyed me like I was some sort of fungus.

"Yeah that'd be awesome."

"Cool, see you later man."

I stood next to my mother as we both watched the green little bug disappear around the corner.

* * *

><p>After mom left I had stood in the driveway watching her depart and wondered what the hell I was gonna do now. I'd already had breakfast, made my bed, and took out the trash. I wasn't all that ready to start my day as a couch potato just yet. So I decided I'd take a nice, lovely stroll down to Adam's house to see his sister Jillian.<p>

Ed had told me he didn't want my help looking for Adam. He never said anything about me going to their house to visit an old family friend. Felt proud of myself for that reach around.

Before I closed the garage I double checked that I had the spare key my mom had given me along with my cell. Once I was done I closed the garage and crossed the street and headed down towards the end of the cul-de-sac.

This whole place looked like a suburban hell. It was just too squeaky clean for my taste and when I was in them I always wondered if a Michael Myers type was waiting somewhere in one of these pleasant looking houses slowly slaughtering everyone in the neighborhood. All the yards had green grass and every house I passed was the same color and design as the last. I would've thought by now they would have switched it up a little but it seems old habits really do die hard. I passed by a few runners and one in particular who ran with a special stroller with her toddler in the seat. Poor little guy looked bored out his mind. I felt his pain.

As I got closer to the Johnson's house I had counted at least three houses on the block with blacked out windows. So Jerry wasn't the only one in the neighborhood.

Jerry.

Even now as I was walking in the hot, not to mention humid, Nevada morning I could still feel a cold chill work its way down my spine followed by a sensation I couldn't place. Just thinking about him made my blood run cold as if I something had completely terrified me and at the same time thinking about him made my heart pick up speed. Every time I thought back to that night in his garage I'm not all too sure what to feel but every sense I had scream's for me to stay away.

A light brush of air tickled my hair across my neck. Rubbing a cool hand across it I tried to wipe away the fresh memory of his lips gliding against it followed by the faint but undeniable sound of him inhaling deeply. Had he really _smelt_ me?

To be fair I had been with guys who have had weirder fetishes. Like the guy in Maine who was obsessed with fur and I mean obsessed. I was used to meeting some pretty interesting people. Jerry just happened to be one of them. So why couldn't I shake this feeling of unease that seemed to freeze me in place?

I just wasn't being fair to the poor guy.

I began to pick up speed as my mind drifted back to that dark garage and his piercing Obsidian eyes that read me so easily and were etched with a hunger so powerful it made it hard to swallow. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself as if I could ward off the memory that kept overriding my thoughts.

Crossing the street over to Woodridge I picked up the pace even more until I finally just jogged the rest of the way. When I was finally at the end I broke into a brisk walk noticing at first glance that Mr. Johnson's prized boat was missing. I was pretty sure they couldn't have moved it to the backyard; the thing was massive.

I walked up the driveway still taking quick glances around noticing that even both the cars were missing. Once I was too the door I gave two pronounced knocks and waited. Sticking my hands in my back pockets I looked back and noticed that the Johnson's no longer had any neighbors except the one right next door. Maybe they would know where they were? I could see that the blocks the boat had sat on had left definite marks and the thought crossed my mind that maybe they had all gone on a family vacation but it was barely Monday. The Johnson's, and especially Mr. Johnson, prided themselves on keeping their kids in school so they could have a good education and become Senators or something equally as douchie. Giving one last knock I bit the inside of my cheek as my brain racked through every scenario it could think of and none of them made any sense. I knew Adam's family really well and I may have been gone for a few years but this family was all about consistency.

I had to admit my curiosity, and anxiety, was beyond peaked…again. If that old saying about curiosity killing the cat was true I was in deep shit.

After giving it one last good ol' fashion knock and not getting an answer, I made the decision to head on through to the backside of the house. Quickly I walked to the fence and went to swing it open only to find that Mr. Johnson's paranoia about neighborhood robberies had indeed continued as well. The damn thing was locked which meant I now had to hop the fence. Awesome.

Without a second thought I swiftly grabbed on to the top and used the side of the wall, along with my momentum, to launch myself over. I was pretty proud of myself until when I went to land I stumbled like a newbie and decided that the best thing to catch my fall was the house itself, scraping my knee all too hell.

"Damn," I hissed.

But I didn't give it a second thought. I had a job to do…sorta and I wasn't going to let a little scraped knee slow me down. Plus, if there one neighbor had seen me jump the fence I was pretty sure they would've called the cops. Time was ah ticking.

The lay out was definitely the same as my mom's so it wasn't hard to find my way to the back quickly. It was a little more difficult because of the random rose bushes Mrs. Johnson seemed to have planted. If I didn't watch where I stepped the damn thorns cut across my legs like butter. It seemed my curiosity was eating me alive.

Putting my face up against the window I squinted as I looked around trying to catch a glimpse of any sign of life. All I ended up seeing was what looked like their furniture was still there and a laundry basket was perched on the edge of the Lazy Boy couch. So where the hell were they?

The sound of my phone ringing jerked me out of my thoughts and without thinking I jumped back into the damn rose bush.

"Ouch, ouch, fuck, ouch!"

The damn thing had a hold of the bottom of my shorts good. Digging into my pocket I dug out my phone flipping it open without even checking the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hello this is Mary West from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. I'm calling to talk to a Ms. Kaylee Brewster."

I vaguely caught she was from the Hard Rock as I continued with my onward struggle to get my shorts released from the rose bush.

"Yeah, that's me."

I tried to sound cheerful and polite but I assumed from the way she cleared her throat I had done a poor job of it.

"I was calling in regards to the application you submitted and was seeing if you'd be able to come in for an interview today at 12:30?"

Taking the phone away from ear I glanced quickly at the clock. 10:26. I had barely an hour in a half to get ready and get down there.

"Damn it!"

A thorn ripped into my finger and I lifted it to my mouth and bit down to try and get rid of the pain.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh pardon me…I'm, uh, I'm stuck in a thorn bush."

Swear I could hear crickets.

"I'll be able to make it down there at 12:30. Thank you for the call."

"Looking forward to meeting you."

What a liar she was. Closing my phone I put it back in my pocket and jerked as hard as I could out of the bush. I finally got out but ended up tearing out some of the flowers with me. I moved quickly back to the fence and made it over the second time without incident and pulled my phone back out of my pocket.

I was going to have to see if mom would let me borrow some clothes.

* * *

><p><strong>Would you please, for me, Review!<strong>

**I would appreciate it more than anything!'**

**Do you love it? Hate it? Please let me know!**

**Much love, Jeneane**


	6. Let The Games Begin

**Anyone surprised I'm posting so quick? It's short and sweet but hopefully just as good :) **

* * *

><p>Pulling up behind the green bug I knew too well I glanced over towards the house only to find that my family along with Amy seemed to be having a warm meet and greet with Jerry. My car was also not the quietest car on the block and I had caught everyone's attention, everyone including Jerry. My hands slid loosely off the wheel as I leaned my head against the wheel and groaned. It had been a long day and I just wasn't sure meeting Jerry with my family was a safe plan but it seems I didn't have a choice.<p>

The door creaked as I forced it open, got out, and slammed it shut in all one frustrated motion. The day and not to mention the interview had been a long and annoying process and the fact that now I had to deal with Jerry seemed only to make it worse.

I dragged my feet over to the group and moved to the open spot Charley and my mom had made for me, which put me directly in front Jerry. Without even thinking I crossed my arms protectively across my chest and did my best to pay him no attention.

"Oh Jerry this is my daughter, Kaylee. I was just telling your brother he's the new neighbor that moved into the Perry place."

Mom sounded way too ecstatic to be introducing me and I figured out fast it had nothing to do with me really. She only had eyes for the very tall, pale, and handsome man before us. Turning to face him I noticed he had extended his hand out to me with that dazzling smile of his spread across his lips. Not hesitating I enveloped my small hand in his and watched as his fingers swallowed my hand whole.

"It's nice to meet you Jerry," I said sharply.

I held his gaze with my eyes hoping that he would maybe be able to figure out I wanted to play this like we just met. It would be tragic for mom to figure out her new neighbor who she has the hots for caught her daughter smoking…stuff in the backyard. She'd most likely be mortified and say she was going to die of embarrassment. Luckily for me, followed by a slight possibility I was unlucky, Jerry seemed to understand what I wanted because amusement crossed his handsome features instantly making him appear younger.

"Nice to meet you as well…Kaylee."

I fought against the shiver the sound of his voice threatened to give me as I tried to gracefully pull my hand away and failed miserably. Jerry on the other hand didn't seem to notice one bit. Facing my mom I noticed she had began to fiddle with the back of her ear meaning only one thing: something was bothering her. She continued to try and play it cool with her smile tightening little by little at the corners of her mouth. I started counting down until she was finally going to explode. Finally it appeared she just gave in an asked what she had been dying to know the answer too.

Faster than I could catch she pointed hurriedly at what I assumed was my whole outfit and tucked her hand back under her arms.

"Kaylee, please tell me you didn't go to your interview dressed like that."

Smiling I did a quick once over of myself.

"I don't think I look that bad," I replied playfully.

If she could've I was sure my mother would have let out an exasperated cry of pain, instead she opted to give me a short look of annoyance. Faintly I could hear Charley chuckling behind me. I was still wearing her knee length charcoal skirt but had replaced the devil heels with my converse and had removed her cream puff shirt just leaving the black tank top underneath.

From the corner of my eye I could see Jerry just staring me down from the side making my heart begin to race.

"How did your interview go anyway?" Charley asked from behind me.

It didn't take much for me to turn to him and when I did I gave Amy a nod of hello who surprisingly gave me a small but genuine smile in return.

"Not good to be honest but on the way out I ended up meeting one of the main casting directors for Peter Vincent's live show and he told me that Peter might like my look. I just had to wait around until he was done with dress rehearsal for him to get a good _look_," I said in air quotations, "at me."

Charley's eyes widened as he and Amy both got hysterical.

"Holy shit Kay that's amazing! Did you get the job?"

My eyebrows rose in doubt at the biggest overstatement of the year.

"Yeah I did," I replied bleakly.

"Uhm," Charley laughed, "Shouldn't you be like a lot happier?"

"Yeah, that is really awesome Kaylee," Amy said to me, real excitement in her voice.

I was more surprised that she had even spoken to me. Wonders never cease.

"You guys haven't seen my outfit," I grumbled.

"I'm sure whatever it is you would fill it out nicely."

I don't know how but apparently I had completely forgotten that we were in Jerry's presence. With his sudden input I found myself looking in his direction and that sexy smile plastered on those lips that had barely a few days ago, ran across my throat.

"Strangely enough that's exactly what Peter said. Except he leaned in really close to inspect them," I pretended to air grope my chest, "and once he was finished told me I'd fit the outfit much better than the last girl. Oh and my favorite part, I think, was when he walked away snapping his fingers and demanded I go on a date with him," I finished my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Charley jerked me around hard to face him his eyes wide in pure awe.

"You did say yes, right?"

Slapping his hand away I gave him the harshest glare I could muster.

"No! I am not a cheap floozy you dick!"

He held up his hands in surrender but at the same time was fighting not to laugh.

"I think the lady doeth protest too much if you ask me," he teased.

"And me think that if young Charley ever wants to use his testicles in the future, he should probably shut up right about now," I shot back.

That earned me a short laugh from Amy.

"Anyways," my mom cut in fast, "Jerry here has to basically redo his basement."

Slowly I turned my head back to my mother and tried desperately hard not to laugh. I knew she couldn't resist figuring out what the hell he was doing.

"You just couldn't help yourself could you?"

I started to giggle but was cut short. The minute Jerry had looked up at the sky that brief second was all my mom needed to jab her fingers into my side.

"And he's handy."

"No kidding," Amy added as her eyes devoured him.

I couldn't keep the shock off of my face as I watched the two women basically fall all over themselves. On second glance Jerry did look edible as usual but this time his well-muscled arms where bare and dirty from his labors. The tank top clutched to all the right places on his chest and the tied arms of his cover-all showcasing a lean waist. My guess was underneath those cover-all's his legs were just as athletic as the rest of him.

When I finally looked away my cheeks immediately flushed as I locked eyes with his. I probably had looked as feverish as the rest of them.

"I was just telling your mom Kaylee, that I was going to have the dumpster gone by tomorrow."

"Its fine dude my mom was just-"

"You know Jerry does night construction on the strip," she began cutting Charley off hurriedly.

"That's…cool."

"So," Jerry interjected, "I'd invite you guys inside but it's a mess. I've been meaning to-"

"Be neighborly," my mom added in helpfully.

He gave her a small nod and locked those Obsidian eyes on me.

"A _drink_…or something," he finished seductively.

My heart raced as his eyes wandered down my body and when he reached the bottom gave me a wicked look as a devilish smirk slid back onto his lips.

The silence swelled around us as Jerry shot us each a strained smile and looked up in the sky. As he let out a heavy sigh he etched back as he gave my mom that infamous smile of his.

"Soon, okay?"

"Yeah you bet and thank you so much for the help."

"It's the least I could do."

As he turned to leave he gave me one last look and we all went our separate ways. The minute he was out of range Amy ran over to my mom her excitement growing with each giddy step.

"Oh my god! Why did you blow him off?"

"What? A guy that good looking still single? Bad bet he is a player," she replied reassured by her own words.

We each took a side as we formed a tight circle.

"Nah he's smoking come on mom break him down."

Charley was trying to encourage her but apparently mom had already made up her mind.

"I've had enough man troubles I am not getting suckered again."

I shot her an incredulous look as she made a funny face at me.

"What? I date!"

As Charley's phone went off in the background I threw my hands up in mock surrender.

"Whatever you say, you serial dater you," I cooed.

"Oh wow, uhm, I gotta go."

"What?"

Mom snickered not fully believing him until he started to back up down the driveway fast. Clapping his hands he made all three of us girls jump as he moved back up the driveway and pointed at me.

"Kay I'd like you to come with me."

"What? Why?"

"Because you have talents…that I could use…right about now."

"Charley is this illegal?"

Great fucking genius choice of words there Char-Char.

"No, no I just need Kay," he furiously waved me towards him, "to hurry up and get her ass moving."

"Dinners on!"

"Yeah Charley dinner is on," I repeated.

I was totally down for some dinner what I was not down for was using my "talents" for something that I had no idea what it was.

"We can eat after," he growled through clenched teeth.

Letting out a heavy sigh I started forward. I realized that if I didn't just go with the kid he would never stop bugging me. Even though he had won this battle it didn't mean that I wasn't going to drag ass.

"Okay we'll see you guys."

Quickly he turned on his heels and began to jog down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going Charley? Is it far?" I groaned.

"Just come on Kaylee!"

Groaning up at the violet and deep azure sky I hobbled into a jog.

"Kaylee!"

I knew that voice.

I stopped my lame attempt at jogging and turned to see Jerry coming out from beneath the darkness of his garage his hand clutching tight to something. He didn't say another word as he launched whatever it was at me and without thinking I reached out and caught it. Surprisingly he had thrown me one of his green apples he loved so much.

"Catch ya later."

There was no playfulness in his voice our expression this time. An icy feeling began to take hold of me as every ounce of my being told me I needed to get away. So without further thought I clutched on tight to the apple in my hand and took off running after Charley.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews. Comments. Concerns?<strong>

**I promise the next couple of chapters will pick up the pace!**

**Much Love, Jeneane**


	7. I Taste Blood On The Water

**Hello all! :) Just wanted to start off letting you guys know that this one is a pretty long chapter but hopefully good! I also wanted to take this time to thank all of you who favorited, did the story alerts, and especially those who took the time to review! Everything you guys tell me helps me make this story better for you guys! So thank you guys so much for reading and just being frakkin' awesome! I couldn't ask for more! So without further ado' Chapter 7 :)**

* * *

><p>"You don't gotta run so fast!" I exclaimed.<p>

"Time is of the essence!"

Ever since we had left the damn house Charley had seemed to be on overdrive. The kid never even took a breather.

"Well genius I don't know if you've ever tried running in a skirt before but it ain't all that easy."

Greedily I gulped in some air sounding like a wheezing kid with asthma. Now was probably a good time to think about quitting my deadly nicotine habit. As my lungs burned I tried to keep my mind occupied and looked around at the houses and realized we were heading down the block towards Adam's house.

"Hey Char-Char where are we going?"

But he didn't have to reply. Once we got closer to the end of Adam's cul-de-sac the clearer I could see Ed waiting for us with a duffle bag and his skateboard in hand.

"Dude, where the hell have you been?" Ed chided as we came closer.

Apparently he must not have seen me but then again I was also just barely catching up to them both as Ed finally caught sight of me. He seemed more than just surprised to see me.

"Oh hey Kaylee," he said warmly too me but moved in close to Charley and hissed, "What the hell is she doing here?"

"I thought she could help."

"She should not be here. We're already in enough danger as it is. You really should have left her at home."

"Uh, hello," I interrupted taking a step forward. "Yeah, hi I am right here, you know."

Ed let a sharp breath out through his nose as he turned to face me.

"Kaylee you really shouldn't be here. This could get dangerous."

I let out a snort of laughter as I danced on my feet.

"Oh come on Ed you can't be serious! You do understand who you are talking too, right?"

"This is different okay!"

He said it so passionately that I knew without a doubt he honestly believed it. The frantic look in his eyes and the tight set of worry etched on his features washed away any sort of whimsical thought I'd had about this, making me only begin to worry. What the hell was so important that it would get Ed so worked up like this? Whatever it was I knew for sure it couldn't be good.

"If you think I'm leaving Edward Lee you are sorely mistaken," I replied sharply.

Ed had grown up with me for most of his life. He had turned into another little brother too me and he knew me just as well as Charley did. So he knew that when I said something, big or small, that I meant every word.

"It'd be better to have her with us anyways, man," Charley chimed in.

He looked more than a little annoyed at Charley's input but he was outnumbered. It was two to one now and even if it had been the other way around they still weren't going to get rid of me. He opened his mouth to no doubt say something back but stopped as his eyes locked on to the apple clutched tight in my hand.

"Where did you get that?"

I followed his pointing finger and held up my apple to him. I figured that's what he had meant because the closer it got to him the more his lips seemed to disappear.

"Our neighbor gave it to me- hey!"

Reaching forward he snatched it out of my hand and tossed it over the brick wall that bridged off the masses from the desert and its coyotes. It seemed they were going to be the only ones enjoying my apple now.

I threw up my hands in exasperation while Charley just shook his head a tight smile thinning his lips.

"Unbelievable," he mumbled.

"Gee Ed it wasn't like I was gonna eat that or anything."

After he readjusted his duffle on his shoulder he picked up his skateboard and started towards Adam's front door.

"You'll thank me later trust me."

Looking over at Charley his eyebrows rose briefly as he shrugged and followed Ed towards the door. Good to see I wasn't the only one lost here.

I looked around the still very empty driveway and empty houses that surrounded Adam's. On second glance, the house that I had thought occupied actually looked just as vacant as the others. The porch lights were on but that was an automatic feature for vacant houses. Just like the light that was now on at Adam's.

What the fuck did that mean? Did that mean that Adam and his family were actually gone, or worse, missing?

Tucking my arms close to myself I walked up the driveway and towards the boys who seemed to be consumed with their bickering back and forth.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to go around," Ed sighed. "Actually-"

He turned to face me and Charley joined him. I wasn't sure what they were expecting me to do but they both were waiting for me to do something. Perhaps do a little dance?

"What?"

Making a dramatic gesture to the door, Ed tried ushering me towards it and its lock.

"I can't open that."

"Ah, come on Kaylee it's no big deal. I promise not to mention it to mom either. It'll be like it never happened."

I shook my head vigorously as I dropped my arms loosely to my sides.

"You don't get it. I didn't bring anything to pick it with."

His eyes widened as if he couldn't believe what I'd just said.

"Why the fuck not?"

I was beginning to get agitated and fought against shoving him as my fists tightened.

"Uhm if I remember correctly someone in particular didn't tell me to bring anything."

When he rolled his eyes at me this time, I did shove him.

"Okay yeah, my bad!"

"So it seems we are going around the back," Ed stated flatly.

"Good luck with that one. Mr. Johnson's is as paranoid as ever and still has that lock on the gate. You'll have to jump it."

"Kay, not to be a dick but you're the reason he got the lock in the first place."

Charley had a point there. When I was sixteen I had gotten into the bad habit of breaking into the neighbors houses. So when I'd finally got caught my mom was not only mortified it'd been me, but the whole community wouldn't speak to her until she repaid them everything I'd stolen. The only reason Adam's parents had still talked to my mom was because he was friends with Charley.

I shrugged nonchalantly and crossed my arms back over my chest.

"True."

Ed's eyebrows lowered in suspicion as he took a step towards me.

"Wait how would you know that?"

"Know what?"

"That there was a lock on the gate."

"Oh-"

I began to fidget with my feet as I realized I had just given myself away. Then again I had nothing to be ashamed of. Right?

"I came by earlier to visit Jillian."

I said the words as calmly as I could as Ed looked like he was about to burst into a panic attack any minute. Charley looked very amused as he eyed Ed waiting for him to freak out.

"You did what?"

"Jesus I just came by to see Jillian. I didn't know that was such a big deal."

By the furious tapping of his foot I could tell he wanted to talk about this some more but by the way he kept eyeing Charley I knew he just wanted nothing more than to get this over with. I was just dying to know what the hell had him wound up so tight.

"Whatever let's just hurry up and get inside."

Gripping the strap of his duffle tightly he brushed past me and rushed over to the fence.

"Yeah the sooner the better," Charley mumbled from beside me.

Charley's total distaste for having anything to do with his childhood friends was really starting to get grate my nerves.

Hastily Ed threw the duffle over and placed his skateboard against the side of the house.

"Okay Charley you go first, then Kay, and I'll go last."

"Seriously?"

"What? You _can_ jump a fence right?"

I looked at Ed like he was stupid.

"I'm in a skirt!"

"Guess you should've brought your tools then, huh?"

Balling my fists at my side I felt my teeth grind together as I fought not to say anything back. If they wanted to make things difficult for me then I would gladly do the same for them. Patiently I watched as Charley tried to get a good grip on the fence before he hauled himself over.

If they weren't going to help me over with the skirt I wasn't going to tell them about the rose bushes. Sure enough the minute Charley was all the way over, he immediately begin to curse loudly followed by the thrashing sound of him trying to release himself.

"Oh yeah, by the way, Mrs. Johnson planted rose bushes back there." I turned to Ed and made an exaggeration of the measurement I'd taken of the thorns earlier. "They've got massive thorns on them," I finished swaying happily from side to side.

Giving me a wary look Ed snuck a peak between the boards just to see if I was telling the truth. His face turned pale as he stared back at me, nudging me towards the fence.

"It's your turn Kay."

Walking up to the fence I tried to think of a way to get over it gracefully and with some of my dignity intact. All the ideas I was coming up with seemed foolproof…if I was Wonder Woman.

"If it helps Kaylee you can always just take off your skirt. I mean, it'll give you the room you need to get over and-"

Quickly I punched him in the shoulder.

"I am not taking off my skirt," I growled.

Rubbing his shoulder he replied, "It was just a suggestion."

"Whatever."

Without another word I grabbed a hold of the fence and hoisted myself up. When half of my body was swinging around the other side I realized how much I had miscalculated and found myself landing right into the very bush that I had been stuck in earlier.

"Motherfucker!"

I could hear Charley laughing somewhere off to my left but I wasn't paying him no mind. Ed was over in a matter of seconds and had his duffle slung over his shoulder as they both stood there and watched me rip myself out of the bush. They were huddled together laughing away at my very non-graceful entrance. I pointed at them and growled, "Not a word," as I stomped past them and headed over to the back door.

Ed quickly took up the lead and waited for Charley and me at the door. He tapped the front of his shoe against the dog door. We waited as it flapped inward and slapped shut.

"Alright, Kay you go ahead and go in through the doggy door. When you're inside you can let me and Charley in."

"Ha! That ain't happening," I snorted slapping my knee for emphasize.

He cast a glance over at Charley who held up his hands briefly in a very Not It fashion. Without another word Ed shoved his duffle in through the dog door and followed shortly after. Once he was in, he unlocked the door and shuffled over to his duffle that sat on the floor.

"This is nuts," Charley whispered.

He held the door open for me and shut it once I was all the way inside. Reaching over I grabbed his shoulder and playfully shook.

"Awh come on Charley! You used to want to go with me all the time."

He gave a brief chuckle as he followed me into Adam's darkened living room.

"Yeah, that was when I was twelve and thought you couldn't get in trouble for it."

Shrugging I headed farther into the living room and noticed that not only was the house shrouded in this ominous darkness, but it still was furnished with all of the Johnson's possessions. But it looked like no one had lived there in days. The laundry basket that I had seen earlier was still sitting, clothes and sheets perfectly folded inside, at the edge of the couch. There were no dishes in the sink or the drainer. I'd even put money on it that if I looked in the dishwasher there wouldn't be any in there either.

"So I-," Ed began bent down beside his duffle bag, he pulled out what looked like a metal cross in on hand with a stake held tightly in the other, "I hate to be the one to tell you guys this but that guy your neighbor…yeah he's a vampire."

I sort of stood there for a few seconds. I wasn't sure if this was one of those games that Ed and the boys had always played when they were younger or what. I started to giggle hysterically with Charley laughing with me but when I saw Ed's dead set eyes I immediately stopped.

"My neighbor," Charley began.

"Yeah-"

"Next door-"

"Yup-"

Charley gave me an exasperated look as his face creased with disbelief.

"Jerry, we just met him."

"Okay, Jerry."

Ed sounded like he could've cared less what Jerry's name was. He stood up and headed down towards the hallway not paying any attention to me and Charley anymore.

"That is a terrible vampire name. Jerry?" Charley mused.

"Oh and I'm sure Charley would put real terror in people's hearts," I shot back.

"Look it doesn't matter what his name is okay! I'm just reporting the facts!"

Without another word to either of us he turned his back to us and began his hunched decent towards the stairs. Ed sure was taking this stuff awfully serious. Charley and I both shot each other a look as we started after him and up the stairs.

"Adam?" Ed whispered fiercely as he creeped his way to the top of the stairs. "Hello?"

He rounded the top quickly and moved directly towards Adam's room as I came off the last stair. Charley could've given a rat's ass about being quiet as he came off the step, using the balcony's sides to jump hard onto the floor. Immediately Ed spun around, stake raised, and realized at the last second it was Charley.

"Shh!"

When he turned back around and continued his way into Adam's room I grabbed Charley's arm hard and spun him around to look at me. My heart was still pounding in my throat at how close he had come to Ed accidently stabbing him with a goddamn wooden stake! That would be a lovely story to tell my mother along with Jerry being a vampire like something out of The Lost Boys.

I knew my eyes were wide and my face tight with worry but I wasn't playing anymore. Especially if Ed wasn't either.

"What?" he whispered tightly.

"Stop joking around, Char-Char. You came this close to having a stake to the face, fool!"

Emphasizing on just how close, I showed him bare inches as I let go of his arm. He pressed his lips tight together but gave me a brief nod of assurance that he was going to listen to me. It felt like a huge weight was lifted as I jolted at the sound of cardboard being hit repeatedly.

We both turned and watched as Ed finished stabbing Adam's cardboard cut-out of his favorite World of Warcraft character.

"Jesus I feel stupid. It's a cardboard cut-out."

"Nice dude, real nice."

Charley and Ed continued to banter as he made his way out of Adam's room but the only thing that I thought of was, _that could've been Charley a mere second ago_.

"They're not here dude."

"I know that but they aren't the only ones just listen to me." Ed moved between Charley and me and headed towards the spare bedroom. "I saw this thing on Channel 13, there was this lady who escaped an attacker who tried to bit her."

Charley leaned against the wall in the hallway as he watched Ed hunch his way over to the bedroom.

"Why are you walking like that?"

Quickly Ed righted himself and I slapped Charley against his stomach.

"Ah, what?"

"Be nice!" I mouthed. "Come on Ed you can't really believe that Jerry had anything to do with that do you?"

He shot me a look like I was dense before he opened the door and took a brief look inside. Apparently the room was to his liking because he shut it not even a second later.

"Look me and Adam graphed up all the attacks, all the disappearances; whole families gone."

"It happens all the time man, nobody lives in Vegas they just pass through-"

"You live in Vegas Charley!" Ed shot back angrily. Taking out a map from his pocket he pointed sharply to the X in the middle. "See that's you right in the middle right next to his house!"

"Wow, you weren't kidding about you guys mapping it out," I muttered.

I could feel his eyes burning holes in me but I just continued to stare at the piece of paper until he shoved it back into his pocket.

"His windows are completely blacked out!"

"Lots of people have blacked out windows Ed. They work on the strip at night and sleep during the day."

Charley just looked tired boarding on annoyance. A nagging feeling began to eat at me as I realized we had to get this over with and soon.

"Which is what makes it such a perfect plan don't you guys get it?"

He waved his arms around desperately.

"What that Jerry is Dracula?"

I snorted at that one and earned yet another hard glare from Ed. It did seem a little funny to me that Ed really believed that Jerry was a vampire. I mean, shit, seriously? I loved Ed dearly but not even I could wrap my head around this one.

"Dracula is one specific vampire I'm telling you-"

"God dude I know what you're telling me! I'm making fun of you, okay, I'm mocking you!" Charley shouted at him.

He had started forward following him into the bathroom. Sticking out my arm I held him back.

"You don't have to be such a dick, Charley!"

Ed didn't hear me as he looked around the bathroom.

"Awesome!" he replied his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Charley obviously hadn't paid me any mind either.

"You seriously read too much Twilight."

"That's fiction okay this is real life shit I'm talking about Charley. He is a real life monster and he isn't brooding or love sick, he is the fucking shark from Jaws. He kills, he feeds, and he doesn't stop until everyone around him is dead! And I'm seriously so pissed that you think I would read Twilight."

With his rant being over he disappeared into what used to be Adrian's room before he had gone off to college. Once Ed was out of site I quickly punched Charley in his shoulder.

"Ow-"

But I cut him off before he could even start.

"I know this probably wasn't your first choice coming here," I began whispering furiously, "But you can at least not be such a fucking asshole. I don't know what the fuck has gotten into it but you need to get over your fucking attitude and you need to get over it quick."

I could tell by the way his jaw was clenched that I had pissed him off but I didn't care. I was completely fed up with the blatant disregard and cruelty he showed to Ed. What had the kid ever done to Charley to deserve such treatment?

We both turned away from each other but I took it a step farther by actually walking inches away from him. The more time we spent here at Adam's with Ed the more I began to see what Ed had been talking about a few nights ago. At the time I didn't want to believe it and I think a large part of me had just brushed it off but now actually being around it and seeing how much he could care less about how Adam had gone missing or being here with Ed, it didn't make me sad anymore it just straight up pissed me off.

"Ed?"

The kid had been gone for a long time. I moved forward, anxiety beginning to eat at my nerves, when he came around the corner without a care in the world.

"And neither of you have invited him in right? Because obviously he can't be invited in without an invitation, I know you both know that."

"God you're on drugs."

"Well…yeah but I thought you would believe me on this. I have hard evidence at home."

"Okay," he replied half-assed.

I wanted more than anything to tell Ed I believed him but I just couldn't. Yes, beyond a doubt Jerry could be extremely…creepy at times but I didn't know him enough to accuse him of anything fishy. Even if I did I would put it more towards serial killer than an actual vampire. Vampires weren't real they were fiction.

"So is this like some From Dusk Till Dawn, shit?"

I was testing the waters and from the look Charley gave me I was superficially drowning him in it.

"In the blood thirsty, rip you into shreds to get your blood type of situation, yes."

"Ed, I want to believe you I really do but don't you think it would be more plausible that this was all a serial killer or something? I mean it being a vampire is a little-"

"Out there," Charley finished curtly.

I gave him a sideways glance but kept my eyes on Ed.

"Kay I just said I have hard evidence at home I just need you guys to trust me on this, okay?"

This was getting tricky.

"Anyways all three of us need to stake him in his nest but not right now it's too dark. We should probably just go in the morning so we'll have the protection of the sun. I mean that's what I read off of Peter Vincent's website."

"The Magician? The Magician Kaylee works for? The Magician with the bandana, tattoos, and the leather pants?"

Now I was freaking out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ed! You are talking about _murdering_ someone!"

"He isn't a person Kaylee! I understand it's hard to comprehend this but I promise you we're going to do something good here."

"Wow," Charley murmured.

He placed his hands on his hips and was laughing up at the ceiling.

"Wow," Ed mimicked.

"Wow."

"Wow. Really can we just pretend for one second that you're not a complete douche bag?"

"Evil this was fun when we were eight-"

"Try sixteen," Ed cut in.

"Whatever man the point is I grew up. Don't get an attitude because I would rather have a life then make shit up."

This was turning ugly really fast.

"Hey now guys come on settle down."

I tried but they were too far into it now and were completely ignoring me.

"I get it. You're so _cool _Brewster. Go ahead and enjoy your Clark High early peekers and that includes your girlfriend, by the way."

Shit. Taking a step forward I was between them in minutes and pushed them back a little bit from each other.

"Shut up, man," Charley warned.

His jaw was clenched tight and I knew if this continued there was only one way to go. All this tension had been brewing for months and now it was finally getting the closing that it had deserved.

"She's undeniably do-able I will give you that-"

"Shut up."

"Ed come on man just drop it," I tried.

He gave me a look that said plainly he wasn't going too.

"But we used to make fun of girls like her, man-"

"Shut up."

This time he said it with more force.

"She's nothing but a skank man-"

The moment it came out of Ed's mouth I knew that was it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back and sure enough he roared something behind me and without thinking I put myself in front of Ed. I knew Charley had seen me but he didn't care. He still lashed out and shoved me back so hard that I ended up slamming into Ed and down we both went.

We both stumbled back in different directions. Ed's ended with him sprawled in the Johnson's bedroom while my back and head slammed against the wall next to the door. The world swam for a bit as I tried to stop seeing the triplet Charley's. I could hear Ed gather himself in the room beside me as he asked, voice filled with hurt, "Dude Adam's gone and you act like you don't give a shit. What the fuck happened to you? You were my best friend; we were inseparable."

My vision had cleared only to be clogged up with frustrated tears. My chest hurt to hear that kid be in so much pain and to feel so alone.

"Yeah well you know when my life began to get better was when I stopped being friends with you."

No. Fucking. Way.

I couldn't keep the disbelief off of my face as I looked up at my baby brother and the complete asshole that he had become. In the room next to me I could hear Ed let out a soft inhale of breathe, the sound of tears heavy in his throat.

"Ed."

I scrambled to get up as he rushed past us both and headed towards the stairs. Damn my mother's knee length skirt all too hell. Charley reached down to grab hold of my arm to help me up but I shoved him back violently.

"Don't fucking touch me."

Once I got to my feet I rushed down the stairs and back down the kitchen only to see that Ed had already grabbed his duffle. The back door was still wide open and without thinking I rushed through it and clambered over the fence not caring how unladylike I looked. But none of it mattered. By the time I had reached the street the kid was already halfway down the block and descending even further down the road.

"Ed!"

My feeble attempt went unanswered as he completely disappeared from my view. Frustrated, I kicked out angrily at the trashcan as I laced my hands behind my head and looked up at the night sky.

"Kay-"

I held up a hand for him to stop before he even started. I didn't want to hear what excuses he had come up with while he'd made his way out of the house. There wasn't any excuse in the world he could give me for doing what he had just done.

"Save it Charley I don't want to hear it."

He let out an angry scoff as he stepped into view his face lit up with defiance.

"Oh why you think that I should've let him sit there and talk about Amy like that? He didn't even know her!"

"You're right but that didn't give you the right to say what you just said to that kid!"

"It's the truth!"

"So what to be cool you'll do whatever it takes, huh Charley? Willing to be as fake as the rest of the assholes at your school? You abandoned your goddamn friends Charley! Abandoned the only people who truly fucking knew you for who you were and didn't need you to do anything to impress them. I thought I had taught you better than that."

A sarcastic sneer crossed his lips as he shook his head.

"Funny, I could say the same thing about you abandoning family."

That one was the one that cut the deepest and he knew it. I could feel the burning of the tears that threatened to spill as I smiled as the pain began to corrode my heart.

"Mmkay, I get it." I moved to start my decent down the road when I turned around and gave him the deadliest glare I had ever given the boy. "Just so you know, if you ever, and I mean _ever_, touch me the way you did in that house, you will regret it," I said furiously, every word laced with venom.

Turning my back to him I started a slow jog back down the road hoping that maybe there would be some way that I could find Ed. But slowly my jog turned into a sprint as the tears finally spilled over and the last half hour kept replaying itself over and over in my head.

* * *

><p>It had been close to an hour sense that ugly scene had played out over at Adam's. It felt like even longer since I had been looking for Ed but short of going all the way to his parent's house, I couldn't find the kid. So after a short distance I had just decided on going back to the house but now that I was here I couldn't bear to bring myself to go inside.<p>

I was still pissed beyond belief at Charley for the way he had acted and treated Ed and especially for laying his hands on me. But what repeated over and over in my head were the words he had said to me last. I wasn't sure if it could all be thrown at the fact that everything had happened in the heat of the moment but even at the thought of it, my pulse speed up like it had been lit on fire.

Shaking out my hands I paced back and forth on the sidewalk trying to make any fucking sense of what had just happened. Nothing was coming too me. When I took a glance up to his room and saw that his light was on…my blood began to bowl even more. Maybe it had been a mistake for me to even come back home. I had been a complete idiot to think that after I was here that everything would be fine and go back to the way it was but nothing could be the way it was. Not ever again.

Frustrated I picked up a rock from my mom's walkway and without thinking screamed at the top of my lungs and let it fly, and fly it did. It hit squarely against the side of Jerry's pick up.

"No fucking way," I mumbled wide eyed.

This could only freaking happen to me. I let out a groan as I began to make my way across the yard and to his truck to check out the damage. The closer I got however, the slower my pace became as I saw the awfully big dent I had made on his driver's side door. This was what I get for acting like a tantrum throwing five year old. I ran a hand over my face and kept my hand over my mouth as I noticed that it wasn't just a dent but there were a few deep scratches in the paint too.

I knew beyond a doubt I was going to have to tell him what I'd done and pray to god that he wasn't one of those guys who call's the cops for destruction of property. Walking up to his front door, I went to knock but dropped my hand down and tried to rile up every nerve I could muster. Just rip it off like a band-aid…

Inhaling sharply, and without a second thought, I quickly knocked twice on his door and jumped back. It seemed like forever as the tension began to eat me alive while I waited for him to answer his stupid door. I was close to saying fuck it and that no one was home, but obviously, he was. I started to walk backwards when I heard the deadbolt click free and the front door swung open to expose a very wet and very shirtless Jerry.

I don't think my jaw had ever dropped so fast in my life. I shut my mouth and tried to play it cool but I was finding it increasingly hard to do as it felt like my eyes were glued to his chest.

"Hey," he said coolly.

"Hey."

I felt like I couldn't move from that spot; like if I tore my eyes away I would be missing out on something extraordinary. It was embarrassing that I was acting like a hormonal teenager. The silence stretched on between us as he patiently stood there while I shamelessly raped him with my eyes.

"Something I could help you with?"

I wanted to tell him, "Yes, with your pants," but I shook the thought away. I was stronger than my libido damn it. I pointed back behind me to his truck.

"Yeah I uhm, came to let you know of an accidental crime I had committed."

His eyebrows rose in what looked more like giddy anticipation then worry like you would suspect, but he looked absolutely amused at my stance. Crossing his arms he leaned against his door frame and gave me the full weight of his gaze.

Yippy.

"Is that so?"

Swallowing hard I tried to give him a confident laugh but ended up failing.

"Sadly, yes. I threw a rock and it seemed the trajectory of it was destined to hit your truck to make what is an already lousy night even more awesome."

He shot me with that mega-watt smile and I felt like I couldn't help but smile back.

"You seem to have a thing against my truck," he teased.

"What can I say?" I shrugged. "It's a Dodge."

He laughed lightly and straightened himself out. My eyes hungrily ate every movement he made as his muscles flexed tight. The water making him glisten when he stepped into the light of the porch. Clearing my throat I tried for cool.

"Hey Jerry not to be nosy but why are you all wet?"

Glancing down at himself for a second, he looked back up at me, as his body language totally took on a different tone.

"Water line in the basement ruptured while I was working. Had to go and shut off the water to fix the leak."

Why the hell hadn't he been wearing his cover-all? It seemed he was reading me as I was thinking this and his eyes took on a deadly sheen that I wouldn't have thought possible. I took a cautionary step back off the porch step to put as much distance between me and the man in front of me.

"Oh," I sounded lame. "Sorry to hear about that but it's good that you got it fixed."

His face stayed immobile. Looking around I decided it was probably best that I headed on home.

"Well Jerry I'm just gonna…head home. You should probably head inside and uhm, put on a shirt. Shouldn't be standing outside when it's nippy out because, you know, you could catch a cold. Which, would be awkward considering this is Vegas and it's hardly ever cold here really. You should also probably park your truck in the garage from now on because it's not safe to leave it out in the open."

My fucking god was I rambling? As I continued I realized in horror that I was indeed rambling and Jerry just stood there, looking strangely predatory as he just watched me seamlessly dig myself deeper.

"I'm just going…to stop talking…now," I laughed nervously. "Mmkay well… bye now!"

As I turned to leave he calmly pointed down to my leg and said, "You're bleeding."

Immediately my gaze shot down to my leg and I realized in horror that he was right. For a second I thought that what had happened was every girl's worst nightmare when they were in a skirt, but on closer inspection I saw it was just a cut. It was probably located somewhere higher up my leg but I'd most likely gotten it when Charley had pushed me or in my rush to catch Ed by jumping the fence.

"Damn I guess I am," I replied weakly.

"You should come on inside and let me take a look at it," he insisted.

My eyes darted up at him and wondered past to the inside of his house. I could only see that he had one light on in what I would've bet was the living room. If he had any other light in the place I didn't see it. Ed's talk of Jerry being a vampire came rushing back into my head and that map they'd made about all the disappearances. There could be more than a dozen reasonable explanations and I honestly doubted that Jerry was a vampire. I could however have believed him if he had said serial killer or something along those lines. My heart seemed to leap into my throat as I licked my lips nervously and looked from inside his house to him.

"Thanks but you-"

"It's no big deal. Plus, you did assault my truck."

He had tried for teasing but this time it didn't match his eyes or his body language. I swallowed down my panic as I gave him a tight lipped smile.

"Sure."

Almost immediately his posture took on a whole new tone as I moved to walk past him. I would have thought he would have moved somewhat out of the way but he didn't. He made me literally brush past him and his bare upper body to get inside. Once inside, I turned around sharply to conceal the jolt of fear I had when he slammed the door shut behind him.

"You can go ahead into the living room. I'll go and get a warm wash cloth to clean the wound."

"Are you by chance gonna put on a shirt?" I asked meekly.

He didn't necessarily answer me as he moved past me and intruded on my personal space again. He stopped halfway to what I assumed was the way to his kitchen and looked back at me.

"Want a beer?"

"That'd be great thanks."

Once he started his way back to his kitchen I all but dashed my way to his living room and the sound of his television playing. When I was actually in the living room I looked around at the empty space and walls. There were still some boxes that had yet to be unpacked but besides a leather chair and its matching leg rest and plasma screen tv, and a random lamp in the corner, his house was barer than bare. I listened for the sound of the facet being turned on followed by the sound of him opening the fridge.

"You weren't kidding about the place being a mess."

Tiptoeing to the base of the stairs I peaked around the corner as he popped the top off of two beers and reached in the sink to take out a steaming hot rag. I raced back into the living room as quietly as I could. He came around from behind the stairs short seconds later and handed me one of the opened beers.

"Yeah between working nights and trying to fix this place when I can, I don't really have much time for interior decorating."

I nodded as I took a swig of my beer. He had a point there.

"Mom would probably tear her hair out if she saw this place."

He gave me another one of those strained smiles, like he had no real interest in it or what to even say in return. He motioned to the chairs leg rest and set his beer down on a box that sat a few feet away from the chair.

"Go ahead and take a seat."

I did as he instructed taking another long pull from my beer. This time though a weird coppery taste hit my tongue after the drink had long passed. Giving the bottle a weird look I took another sip and when I got the same after taste I set the bottle down. I was pretty damn certain that Budweiser wasn't meant to taste like that.

"Something wrong?"

Shaking my head no I gave him a brief smile. I stopped when Jerry kneeled down in front of me and took my bleeding leg in his lap. Instantly my heart sped up as he worked the rag over the dried blood on my calf and slowly moved up. When I glanced up I almost jumped out of my skin as I locked eyes with Jerry who was watching me with such an intensity it made my skin ache. The rag brushed up against the tip of the skirt dragging my eyes back down to the process he had started.

"I can get the rest."

My voice sounded like a ghost. I could barely breathe as it was with him so close to me and every time I looked up to get away from the overpowering feel of him, my eyes ended up lost in an Obsidian sea. I moved my hand down to take the rag from him when his hands quickly gripped the edges of the skirt and ripped up. A loud tearing sound tore through thick silence of the room. I could now see where the cut had originated but also far past it. I wanted to be furious at what he had just done but my heart was beating so wildly that I couldn't focus. His hand had ventured further up my thigh and with each touch of his hand it felt like it I was on fire. Maybe it was my mind making it up but I could've sworn it felt like my skin was blistering were his hands touched me.

Just when I thought I was going to finally break, my phone's ringtone cut through the silence, startling me back into reality. I rolled off the leg rest and moved as far away from Jerry as I could. It took me a while to dig it out of the side pocket until I was able to read the caller ID; it was LaLa. I let out a sigh of relief as I went to open it when Jerry's hand slid it from mine and threw it on the chair.

"Uhm…Jerry."

He quickly filled the space between us; his eye becoming darker, fuller, consuming his face with an eerie normalcy. Were they always so endless?

I couldn't speak; I couldn't breathe. A tight hand gripped the back of my neck while the other wrapped itself like a snake around my waist and pulled me those last final inches. My mind was racing with thought but all went quiet the minute Jerry crashed his mouth down on mine, and the bittersweet taste of copper tickled my tongue.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh snap! What do you guys think is going on? What's going to happen now?<strong>

**Hope you guys loved it even though it was a lengthy one :)**

**Reviews always welcome!**

**Much love! Jeneane**


	8. The Nectar of Life

**Hey guys! I just wanted to start off by saying thank you SO effin' much for your awesome reviews and guesses! They have really kept me going during these past crappy days! This chapter mainly deals with what I'd imagine it would be like if you were bitten and turning but didn't know it. Sort of like how Dracula infects his brides in a way and that uncontrollable urge they have to be with him at all times. Sorry that it took so long for me to upload though. I kept writing but then felt like everything was coming out like crap but hopefully this one is decent enough :) Hope you guys enjoy and thanks for reading!**

* * *

><p>My mouth felt molten hot as our mouths ate at one another, a hunger so deep resonating across my body, my nails clawing at his shoulders as he pressed me hard and fast against the wall.<p>

My body was on fire as his hands slid under my tank top and touched my bare flesh causing the extraordinary and overwhelming need I felt to increase. I was becoming furious with my clothes as my body screamed with a crushing urge to feel his; my mouth craving that odd tangy taste it had before. A growl tickled across my lips and I realized it was coming from me as my nails dug deeper into his shoulders. Never in my life had I felt like I needed something so badly but I didn't care for any logical reasoning behind this. No, the only thing I cared about was how I was going to wrap him around me; to swallow me whole in his arms. My body cringed and protested at even the slightest idea of taking my hands away from him.

He tore his mouth away from mine and trailed his lips down until he stopped over my neck. He'd tangled his hand in my hair and using it like a pulley, jerked back hard, exposing my neck even further for him. The pain quickly evaporated in the warmth of his arm as it curled me closer to his body as his teeth sank down harsh into my throat. His hand convulsing in my hair as I stayed languid in his arms, my mind beginning to swirl like a carousel.

Through the sound of Jerry's heavy swallowing I could barely make out another but somewhere in the background of the room I could hear it faintly: someone was calling my name.

I struggled to focus on that sound and past the feelings that were going on around me. It seemed like it was taking a lifetime when I finally heard it.

"Kaylee! Where you at, bitch?"

LaLa was loud even when he was actually in a room so it didn't surprise me that I could hear his ass yelling for me all the way from outside but I could almost hear him perfectly if just a bit muffled . I was surprised I could hear him at all when I looked over and saw that Jerry had his windows in his living room wide open. He continued to call out for me, using even more obscenities as if it would make me come out to him faster. The louder he became the more I seemed to get my senses back as if I had lost them to begin with. The languid stance that I had started with changed swiftly as I moved up straight and shoved Jerry back as hard as I could.

He sluggishly unlocked his mouth from my neck and stepped away from me; the side of his mouth covered in blood: My blood. I moved a shaky hand to protectively cover it and quickly it was slick with moister. I was almost too petrified to look but as I guided myself against the wall towards his front door I looked down at my open hand and found it streaked with fresh blood, taking on a rusty color as the air began to dry it. I never took my eyes off of him as I made my cautious decent to his front door but Jerry never made a move to stop me. We both knew that the only reason I'd even been released was because he'd willingly let me go.

Ultimately I just couldn't take it as my muscles tightened as the adrenaline agonizingly continued to build. The tension in my body became too much and finally I obeyed. The minute I took off sprinting from the wall I stumbled as my vision spun around before me in nauseating proficiency and I ended up slamming hard into the wall adjacent the door. Somewhere off behind me I could hear Jerry chuckle in amusement.

I guess I had lost a lot more blood than I had thought. Hoisting myself back up off the wall I staggered towards the front door my hands flailing, desperately searching for the door. Once I had a death grip on the doorknob I flung the door open hard and lurched forward into the shrouded night sky. I continued to stagger as everything from cars to filthy little lawn gnomes danced around my vision making my stomach begin to twirl.

"Look at you," LaLa chuckled. "You don't waste any time getting nasty with the neighbor-"

I'd like to say that I was able to keep some grace about me even as nauseous and dizzy as I was, but I didn't. Instead my foot caught on one of the decorative, filthy lawn gnomes on my mother's lawn and down I went falling at LaLa's feet.

"Little bastard," I cursed at the creepy smiling fixture.

"Bitch what is wrong with you?"

If I had any extra will left over from fighting _not_ to vomit on his shoes I would've come back with something witty and resourceful but…that didn't happen. Instead what did happen was my hands convulsed their way up his legs gripping firmly to the rough jean fabric, with my eyes closed tight trying to get the spinning to stop. All it really seemed to do was make me feel like I was on that ride from hell at Magic Mountain. The one that strapped you in tight like a nutcase to a gurney and flung you around doing close to thirty miles an hour in a circle for what felt like an eternity.

Funny, how the remembrance of that day flooded my senses. My shaking hands rigidly clutching onto LaLa's arms like they had the rim of the trashcan as I repeated to myself like a chant that I was not going to throw up. The only thing that was missing was John who had been laughing vigorously at my discomfort.

I had been so lost in my own memory that I barely noticed the light murmuring of LaLa's voice through the dizzying darkness of my mind.

"Hey Kaylee? Kaylee, come on now this isn't funny!"

His voice was edged with worry as it cut through my rushing memories. He gently placed his hand under my chin and cursed fervently under his breath as delicate fingers traced along the side of my neck exposing whatever it was Jerry had done.

His hand had only stroked my neck for not even a second. Strange how when he'd done it, it had felt like I could feel every single brush of the tips of his fingers as if it'd been done in slow motion. His pulse clamored loudly in my ears.

Or was it my own?

Finally opening my eyes I squinted briefly as they regained focus and with relief I realized the world had stopped its spinning assault.

"Can you hear me?"

Cocking my head to the side I examined his troubled expression with calm as he wrapped his arms around my waist and started moving me towards the house.

"I can hear you," I crocked.

My mouth was so dry…

I slung my arm around his shoulders and was startled by the warmth of his hand while it secured itself around my wrist. The first couple of steps together felt like a sloppy test run but quickly I was able to pick up speed. My feet easily falling into step beside his.

As we made our way across the lawn I couldn't help but look back for Jerry. I was still having the faintest aftershock of being in his heated embrace and a piercing longing crawled in and nestled deep the farther we moved away. I didn't expect to see him with a large part of me being happy if I never saw him again. But the longing that had nestled deep wasn't pleased with my logic as disappointment so agonizing tugged in my stomach. Instantly my body became violently ill causing my feet to stumble against LaLa's almost causing us to topple to the floor. I struggled to rationalize this but I didn't need too: The moment I locked eyes with him from across the yard my body grew instantly still as if what I'd just experienced had been a horrible nightmare.

Even though I lost sight of him a split second after I'd seen him, I entered the house with a smile.

* * *

><p>My mom had not taken LaLa's intrusion lightly. Threatening to call the cops, phone in hand mind you, as she demanded to know what he'd done to me. I quickly informed her that he was a friend and we'd been out drinking and that none of this had been his fault. I'd simply over done it.<p>

It was almost laugh worthy how easily she was able to except this; almost. All it honestly really did was hurt my sense of pride at the 'I knew it' look on her face. Granted I could've told her the truth but…no. I wasn't sure which idea was better or worse. Surely just lying to her was the easiest route.

LaLa gladly, and vocally I might add, told me how much of an idiot I was for not telling her the truth. Also, that I hadn't been drinking. Technically I had been even if it had only been a sip.

Now here I was lying with my face planted on the cold bathroom tile and listened to the rhythmic sound of the toilet flushing. I'd deduced that the strange flavor that had been in my beer and that I'd had the pleasure of ingesting was most likely some sort of drug. Because the moment my mom had let LaLa take me upstairs I had taken off like a bat out of hell for the bathroom. It's where I have been spending the last half hour of my life, vomiting up my guts.

Speaking of vomit…

It was an odd sensation being able to feel your stomach being ripped out through your throat. Eh not odd more like just extremely uncomfortable. Sickening noises escaped my mouth as I scrambled on my knees barely making it to the bowl in time as what little I had left in me went in. Without even looking up my hand reached out for the lever and clumsily pushed it down.

I'd heard the light knock on the door but I didn't look up. Instead I just watched the swirling water escape down the drain and fill back up making me nearly hurl again. Seconds later LaLa came through the door and shut it gently behind him setting down what looked like a glass of orange juice and a Twinkie. He rested against the edge of the counter, crossing his arms, as he watched me move myself back to sit against the wall.

"Take a picture, bitch," I growled.

My voice sounded hoarse and gross but I suppose acid would do that to a throat. Not missing a beat he happily flipped me off as he turned to wet a wash cloth.

"What took you so long anyways?"

I moved onto my knees one hand still on the wall to help guide me up. He moved forward and took hold of my arm as he gingerly helped me up handing me the warm wash cloth once we had me stably on my feet. I took it from him and placed it on my throbbing neck, hissing as the small wounds stung like I'd just covered them in salt.

"I was talking to your momma."

I jerked back as he slapped my arm. No doubt at me rolling my eyes at his reply.

"Why didn't you just tell her the truth, Kay?"

I snorted as I looked at him like he'd gone insane, cynicism hardening my features.

"The truth about what? That Jerry, the hot neighbor who she already has a mad crush on gave me a beer, drugged me, and bit me as some part of his kinky sex games?" For each one I'd mentioned I'd thrown up a finger ending up with three total. "No thank you. All my mom would think out of that whole thing was that I'd purposely gone over there to do something with him so that way she couldn't have him."

"Is that what happened?"

I know he didn't mean it in a callous way but I couldn't help but feel a bit hurt he'd even think it.

"How could you even ask me something like that? This isn't some Mildred Pierce piece, LaLa."

He leaned forward and gently placed his hands on my shoulders turning me to face him.

"You know I've got your back and I know you wouldn't do something like that. It ain't your fault if your fine ass neighbor has the hots for you."

I wasn't all too sure if it was that he had an attraction for me. I'd been around men who acted like any normal, red-blooded, man would when attracted to a female but Jerry didn't act like that at all. No it felt very much that he acted that way as if he knew he had too, like he was in a part. Nothing about him seemed natural until tonight when all that aggression and dominance had came into play. Jerry didn't make me feel desired the way a normal man did. He made me feel like I was part of a game of survival to see who would outlast who the longest.

At the thought of him my body began to shake and I instantly wrapped my arms around myself. This wasn't brought on by cold however but more like the aching need that my body had felt earlier. It was quieter now playing faintly in the background but nonetheless still there.

I remembered how morbid my minds rationalizing had been but maybe that could all have just been brought on by the blood loss and drugs. With the way my body was feeling I was starting to think maybe he'd given me ecstasy and I had just been given a bad batch. I'd never experienced it before but if this is what happened right after I was happy to have never done it.

I just didn't understand why a guy like Jerry would even use the stuff.

I was jolted out of my rambling thoughts as LaLa snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Hello? You in there?"

Slapping his hand away I moved to lean against the counter. My stomach seemed to be at ease and I was hoping the raging storm of nausea I'd felt the last half hour had finally subsided. That's when I noticed the Twinkie he'd brought me had a huge bite missing. I couldn't help but laugh as I pointed down at the object in question his face becoming fierce as he gave me a dry look.

"It's still a Twinkie, bitch."

Picking up the glass of orange juice I just shook my head and smiled my lips against the rim.

"Awesome."

I took a light sip of the drink and immediately sent it spraying out all over the wall.

"Jesus Christ!"

I barely made it in time to the toilet, my knees crashing painfully into the tile, as I dry heaved into the bowl. That wasn't how orange juice should taste. What had hit my taste buds hadn't been anything remotely close to memory of what it did taste like. Once I'd flushed and was pretty damn sure my organs were done trying to escape for the time being, I spared a glance up at LaLa who was examining the glass.

"That shit tasted like…fuck…I don't know. Mud? Sewage? Ass?"

He gave me an incredulous look as he brought it to his nose and gave it a good whiff.

"Maybe a mixture of all three," I finally decided.

Sewage was the closet I could think of but LaLa took on more whiff and then cautiously took a sip. When nothing happened he took an even bigger sip and leaned back against the counter like the perfect picture of tranquility at its finest.

"Tastes all right to me."

With my arms wrapped around the white porcelain of the toilet, my knees beginning to ache finally from the impact, I looked up at LaLa and wished I had the strength to punch him. Instead my irritation grew as he took relaxed sips of the orange juice.

"I hate you," I snapped out angrily.

LaLa didn't miss a beat.

"Eat it up, bitch."

He pretended to toast in my direction and took another leisurely sip from the glass.

* * *

><p>It was 2:48 in the morning.<p>

I knew this because the angry red glare of the clock on the nightstand furiously told me so.

I'd been staring at the damn thing for, well, I couldn't really remember anymore. It had started sometime after everyone had finally gone to sleep because I swore on god himself I could hear all the mechanisms inside moving.

At first I thought it had been my imagination and that I was just hallucinating all of it but the more I seemed to focus on it the louder all the tinkering, clinking, and clicking seemed to become. What was really going on was that I was trying to avoid having to think on the other noise. No matter how long I'd listened to the mechanisms in the clock I could still make out the rhythmic pounding that haunted me as the blankets convulsed in my hands.

I could pin point the exact moment when sleep had overtaken each one of them. I could tell you because I could hear precisely when their racing hearts became even and calm. The rhythmic pacing was light and harmonious in a way at first but it swiftly turned into a thunderous clatter that pounded its way into my thoughts. It had overtaken me in a matter of seconds until I was consumed with its sound followed by the light humming of their breathing touching the air.

In the end I couldn't take it anymore. Furiously I shoved back the blankets and swung my legs over the side. I fully intended to go to the bathroom and splash cool water on my face to help straighten myself out. I had every intention of doing just that up until LaLa changed positions in the bed, every single movement meticulously being heard and read in my head. Even before I turned around to look at him I knew already how he would be laying, the distance between his feet under the covers, and most importantly the position that his neck was in. Sure enough when my eyes caught sight of him he was just how I knew he would be. My eyes immediately caught sight of his neck and the thin jump as his pulse seemed to do nothing more than antagonize me.

My mouth went completely dry.

Quickly I shot up from the bed and bolted for the bathroom. Once inside I tried for quiet as I shut the door but quiet isn't what I got but I didn't care. I rushed towards the sink and turned on the faucet shoving shaky hands under the rushing water. They were shaking so bad I couldn't get them to hold any water and in frustration I turned the faucet off. I studied my hands as they only grew worse and finally did what I'd been dreading: I looked up into the mirror and saw what I assumed was my reflection.

I wanted to blame the pitiless black of my eyes on drowsiness but that just seemed stupid. I was nowhere near as tired as I should've been for being so sick. Leaning in closer to the mirror I searched my reflection for where my irises should've been but there were none and in a blinding second my eyes were completely consumed by the blackness.

I jumped back from the mirror, my hands covering my face, as I rubbed heatedly at my eyes. I stopped for a brief moment and looked back at my own frightening reflection as fear threatened to eat me alive. I didn't want to look but I was determined to write this off as a hallucination. When I looked back this time my eyes were normal if not a little red from my frantic rubbing. Nothing it seemed was going to calm my heavy breathing.

I didn't understand what the hell was going on but I knew one person who would.

Jerry.

I caught a flash of a snarl in the mirror before I had the bathroom door swung open, glided down the stairs, and was out the front of the house. I didn't even dare think about how fast I had just moved to make it outside. I made my way across his lawn not caring that the only thing keeping me away from the chilly Nevada night was my night shirt and under garments. To be quite honest I couldn't even feel it as I finally made my way to his front door not even bothering to stop and knock.

I opened the door and swiftly made my way inside letting the door shut on its own momentum. If I had felt like my normal self I would have felt appalled that I had just forced myself into his home uninvited but I didn't. I would've called out to him to find out where he was but I didn't. Instead I made my way around the staircase; not bothering to check the rest of the house out as I came to what I assumed was the basement door. If I'd been my usual self I would've been terrified at how I knew where the hell to go but I wasn't.

Opening the door I made my decent down towards the darkness below but I didn't fear it. I didn't need any sort of light because I could see perfectly as I ran my hands down the sides of the walls that lead deeper down inside the belly of the house.

It grew much colder as I descended farther in and the smell of fresh earth lapped at my nose. When I reached the bottom I glided down into what looked like a large floor of dirt. The minute my feet touched down onto the cooling surface a shiver of pleasure ran up my spine. This strange urge to lie down in it came over me but what felt stranger to me was the idea of _not_ doing so. But I couldn't do that because I was here looking for someone.

As my eyes continued to roam around the room exposing the darkness I could see three long walls that surrounded the large basement. Their cement walls uncovered to the fresh earth that had lied beneath it. An impulse crawled its way inside of me forcing me to walk over to the wall and run my hands across this newly exposed earth. I didn't see why but logic didn't rule here any longer; I didn't need logic.

When my fingers danced delicately over the veil of dirt a peculiar sensation of elation raced through me as if something amazing was happening behind this wall of earth. I found my lips curving upwards in a smile as I brushed my hands over it once more the sensation growing almost uncontrollable as I began to giggle like a child.

That's when I felt him.

Immediately my entire movements stopped as my body began to quiver with that crushing feel of need it had before. This however was different; this was choking. I turned towards him with my fingers still dancing delicately along the earth. When I caught sight of Jerry leaning with his elbows against the edges of deck that no doubt lead farther back, his black button up opened loosely at his sides and his long legs covered in black jeans…I almost lost it.

I wanted to remember why I had originally came to his house but I was drawing a blank. No solid thought was being heard. The only thing I did know was that my body was in need and the only person who could possibly fix this was right in front of me.

Letting out a growl I lunged forward and quickly covered the space between us. Jerry never once seemed to lose that eerie coolness about him as he simply removed himself from the deck and covered the same equal amount of distance. Without another thought I jumped for him and he caught me easily as I wrapped my legs around his waist and my mouth connected with his.

Instantly that molten heat from before filled my mouth, my body erupting in searing heat, as his body wove itself around mine. He moved forward a few feet before he lowered me down onto the mound of soft earth that was beneath our feet. The feel of it against my back sent a thrill through me causing the hunger I felt to intensify.

Soon we were lost in a flurry of cloth and lace, the feel of teeth followed by that tangy flavor that I realized was the syrupy taste of blood. Forcing my hands behind my back he entered me and a feeling of bliss like nothing I'd ever experienced washed over me as I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist. It was so immense…but I knew this feeling: Completion.

Still holding onto my wrists with one hand he stared down at me, a slack smile tugging at the corner of his lips. With his free hand he brought his thumb up to his lips and I watched enthralled as he bit down hard, smearing the blood around his lips and inside his mouth. He moved down to me taking my mouth with his and I eagerly searched his mouth as he drew me in closer to him. He pulled back from my lips, his body still buried deep within mine. A light cry echoed through the room and as he gently shushed me I realized it had been me.

Silently I watched as his face contorted, his jaws popping, while his mouth became elongated and his teeth long and sharp like a sharks. I knew what this was; what he was and I was unafraid. I'd come home.

Without another word a roar sounded in the dark room. In one unbelievably fast movement he sank his teeth deep into my throat. My blood spilled hot and thick onto the floor as a tear of pure joy slid lifelessly down to mix with the blood in the soil.

* * *

><p>Violently I shot up from my bed and just as brutally flung myself out and onto the floor. I let out a low gurgled scream as I struggled to find a place in the room that wasn't covered in the burning sunlight. Finally I found a small corner of the room that had a few inches left of shade.<p>

I felt around my arms and face feverishly as the ghost of the sensation of my skin burning lingered on my nerves. My hands were still rubbing my arms as I looked wildly around the room realizing I was back in my mom's house.

I'd been in bed, my bed, when I'd woken up. I felt like I was swallowing down glass shards as I stuck a shaky hand back out to a small beam of sunlight…and let out a sigh of relief when it was just warm. Natural skin warming, non-flesh burning, sun.

It'd all just been a dream.

Just a dream.

* * *

><p><strong>Sooo? <strong>

**What did you guys think? I'm honestly dying to know!**

**As always Reviews. Comments. Concerns? :)**

**LaLa is only going to be in the story for a chapter or so.**

**MUCH LOVE, Jeneane**


	9. Too Little Always Too Late

**Hey Guys! :) I'd like to start off with I hope I've made these characters as real and enjoyable as possible. That's what I'm after. Before the bloodshed and the super awesome stuff, I want you guys to feel even more for these characters like they COULD be your neighbors or you could be the Brewsters. **

**A/N: Tonight there's going to be a Third Person POV in the story. It'll happen in the middle so we can basically get Jerry and Charley's POVs for a change. **

**Also be sure to check out the kickass banner my lovely Wonder Twin made for me! It's beautiful and on my homepage :) You guys will love it I know!**

**_DEDICATED TO ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS. WITHOUT ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND INPUT THIS STORY WOULDNT BE. I LOVE YOU._**

* * *

><p>I was grouchy.<p>

There I'd admitted it.

Sitting at the kitchen's island I took a sip of my coffee and grimaced at the bitterness and moved to pick up the sugar. Fitting how it seemed to match my mood like a missing puzzle piece.

LaLa had found himself happily in front of my mother's stove cooking what smelt like an amazing breakfast. On that note it was unfortunate that I was having such a hard time keeping just my coffee down. It's probably why I was in such a sour mood. As long as I got my early morning coffee I was perfectly happy. The world could end and I'd be content as long as I could enjoy my wonderful, refreshing, coffee.

With my elbows on the island, my hands clasped tightly around my mug, I eyed LaLa suspiciously as he glanced over at me moving the spatula around the pan.

"Would you please fuckin' cheer up already," he spoke waving a disgusted hand in my direction, indicating all of me. "Your bad juju is going to ruin what's supposed to be a fantastic mini-vacation."

My eyebrows furrowed.

"I do not have bad juju," I pouted.

He shot me a scrupulous look as he seamlessly flipped the pancakes, emptied out the scrambled eggs onto a hot plate, and went back to the bacon.

I was still in my pout when my mother entered the room. A happy smile of surprise at the mini-buffet that LaLa had prepared.

"Well isn't this lovely," she beamed.

"Morning Jane," he cooed back at her.

I could feel my face rise in shock as I coughed my coffee back into the mug; my mouth hung open in a mixture of horror and surprise as she gently squeezed his shoulder as she passed by.

When in the hell did they become butt buddies? Sleep was looking more and more like a treacherous thing.

LaLa patted her hand before she removed it and turned to give me a not so loving look. It made my face turn frumpy as I set down my mug and crossed my arms on the island.

"Morning Kaylee."

"Morning Warden."

That earned me not only a glare from her but also one from LaLa. It was like a two for one.

"Don't mind her Jane. She's just being a bitch 'cause her ass is hung over."

He looked at me his eyes tightening while his mouth set in a deep frown. I knew he wasn't pleased lying about what really happened last night but he didn't have a choice. He didn't really believe either that Jerry had rufied me or that I was under any kind of drug; I was just reacting badly to blood loss.

Playing with my mug I shot him a death glare.

"No. It's more like I'm hurt that my own mother treats you with more affection than I."

My voice had taken on a mocking tone as I clasped my hands over my chest, pretending heartache. They both looked at me like I was an idiot.

"Kaylee he is a guest in our home."

"A guest who you wanted to have arrested last night if I'm not mistaken."

Dismissing me with a wave LaLa turned to my mom with a warm plate in hand.

"That's all water under the bridge. Breakfast?"

She beamed another goofy smile at him as she gathered her purse and keys.

"Thank you but I can't. I'm already going to be late."

Quickly she slung her purse over her arm and headed towards the garage, spinning on her heels to face me.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you," she said pointing her keys at me. "You don't have to drop your brother off anymore. He called Amy so she should be on her way."

"Oh-kay," I shrugged.

I'd completely forgotten he'd asked the previous night. Not like I'd actually taken him anywhere now though. I turned back around on the stool, meeting the watchful and strained smiling face of LaLa. The minute the door clicked shut behind her he immediately started in on me.

"Why you gotta act like you've got a stick shoved up your ass?" he barked.

"I am not acting like that at all; I'd be walking bow-legged."

His eyes narrowed in on me like daggers as he reluctantly turned around to flip the remaining bacon.

"Stop deflecting my questions -"

"I'm not deflecting."

"And stop interrupting me," he quipped.

"I'm definitely not doing that either," I teased.

Leaning over the island I quickly poked him on his hip. He let out a grunt of surprise and whirled around, spatula in hand, and swung violently out trying to catch the back of my hand. Naturally he missed but it had scraped the tops of knuckles, so more like he'd _barely_ missed. Nevertheless I sat there with my legs crossed and a pleased smirk on my face, willing him to dispute my victory but instead of being angry, irritated, or even annoyed, LaLa looked petrified. My smirk grew slack as I leaned forward a little, my arms unfolding slightly, as I was now confused.

"La what's wrong?"

"Bitch I'm gonna ask you this one time and you're gonna be straight with me." His voice was ice; he's eyes void of any warmth. "How the fuck did you just do that?"

I watched him a few more cautious seconds before I erupted in uneasy giggles, figuring he was playing some sort of trick on me.

"This is a joke, right?" I tested.

But he wasn't buying into it. It seemed my laughing had only hardened his features making his eyes glint with a feverish look of terror.

"I ain't fucking playing with you, Kaylee. How did you just do that?"

"Do what?"

"Move like that."

"I have no fucking idea what you're talking about! I just poked you and then sat back in the chair. There was nothing special about it."

He shook his head wildly his right hand clenching to the spatula for support.

"No that was unnaturally fast, Kay. I felt you poke me and when I turned around you…" He licked his lips nervously as he eyed me completely freaked out. "You were just sitting there like that."

I wanted to laugh in his face and call him out on the fact that he was being ridiculous and was just trying to scare me. I'd known him for a long time and never once in that whole time was he looking at me the way he was now; terrified. I noticed now that he hadn't gripped the spatula for support but for protection…against_ me_. I desperately wanted to believe he was just making this all up but in the pit of my stomach I just knew that wasn't going to happen; that deep down I knew the truth.

I uncrossed my arms and let them fall limply to my sides. I did so carefully so as not too spook him. Jesus, what the fuck was I saying? Spook him? Like he was some easily spooked cattle.

My mind was racing with things to say to him, as we were locked in our heated staring contest, but my nose had caught a vile scent in the air. It was so bad I fought not to gag as I exhaled sharply through my nose hoping to push the scent away. Finally I broke the stare and looked behind him to the billowing smoke cloud that had formed over the stove.

"Your bacon's burning."

My voice was flat and empty of emotion as I spoke to him; I felt absolutely numb with my brain turning into putty. He eyed me warily not wanting to turn his back to me. Something in me broke at the distrust that I read all over his face, the skeptical gleam in his eyes wondering if I was being truthful. When he did finally look behind him he jumped into action taking the frying pan off of the heat cursing loudly as he did so. His shoulders relaxed some as he removed the salvageable bacon from the pan. It didn't matter though he probably would never forget what he saw.

"La-"His shoulders tightened as my voice filled the room and I felt a small piece of my heart chip away again. "Did I- Did I sleep last night?"

Uneasily he glanced over his shoulder at me; hurriedly looking forward right after.

"I wouldn't really know for sure. You were still awake when I closed my eyes but when I woke up this morning you were sleeping like you were dead."

My body shivered in revulsion at that word: dead.

"Why you askin'?"

"Either I had a really awful dream last night or I had a legit panic attack."

Leaning against the counter he gave me a once over, decided on whatever he thought on, shrugged his shoulders and went back to his business.

"You seem fine too me."

"Gee, thanks for the concern their asshole," I snorted.

"Anytime, Convict."

Ugh I really hated that nickname.

"Whore," I shot back.

"Bitch."

"Hoochie."

"Who's a hoochie?" Charley asked as he entered the room.

He was still buttoning the cuff of his black and grey plaid shirt as he stood between the counter and island, looking from LaLa to me. He shot me a tight smile the look in his eyes stating plainly he was unsure what he was supposed to be doing here or how things were between us. When I didn't give him a smile back in return, he got his answer.

I wasn't ready to have a heart to heart decision with the kid just yet and too be honest, I was still so angry with him about yesterday. Even seeing him caused my lips to pucker like I'd just tasted something sour. He gave me one last brief look before he made his way over to the fridge and opened it, examining its contents. Quickly LaLa lashed out and hit my shoulder hard with the spatula.

"Ouch!"

Charley looked back at us, suspicion furrowing his brow, but LaLa didn't miss a beat as he simply waved at him while I pouted, rubbing my now throbbing arm. When he turned back to the fridge I mouthed, "WHAT THE FUCK?" to him but he simply waved me off with his spatula of brutality.

"Good morning sugar britches," he cooed. "You want some breakfast?"

He moved his hand around the waiting platters of food like he was showing a brand new car. Charley let out a whistle and his eyes hungrily ran across the mini-buffet.

"Wow this kitchen has gotten a lot more early morning action since you've been here."

"That ain't the only thing that can get more action while I'm here, sweetcakes."

Charley was oblivious to La's flirtations as he moved around him and took a pancake off of the plate. I was glad the kid hadn't noticed.

"I can make you a plate," he offered.

Mouth full, Charley waved him off and replied, "It's cool man."

The look on LaLa's face was priceless and instantly I burst into laughter that earned me a glare. Charley made his way back around the island until he was standing at my side nervously moving from foot to foot.

"What?"

"I, uhm, my bags at your feet."

Leaning back I looked down, double checking, and found that he was indeed correct. I was in the way and so instead of getting up I bent down to retrieve it for him. As I did my hair fell in what felt like slow motion across my opposite shoulder leaving my neck with its strangely fast healing wound out in the open. He took in a hissing shot of breath as he went to move towards me but stopped himself short.

"Jesus, Kay what happened? Are you okay?"

I didn't know what to say to the kid; so I just looked at him. Silently I placed his backpack on the counter and looked up at him his face creased with lines of worry. What could I really tell him? The only person that knew about what happened last night was LaLa himself but not even he really believed anything I'd told him.

I must have been taking too long because LaLa's voice cut across the silence.

"She got that from playing sex games with your new neighbor."

That was a definite over share and they weren't sex games.

Giving him an exasperated look I was consumed with the overwhelming urge to punch him when I caught sight of my brother's eyes. A mixture of shock and remembrance was in those eyes and instantly I knew he was thinking back to what I had: Ed believing beyond a doubt Jerry was a vampire. But at the thought of Ed, who was like family too me, I was instantly thrown back into that room watching the brother I thought I knew say words so hurtful he scarily reminded me of our dad. No…his dad.

Instantaneously I was brought back into that sour mood from earlier but this time I was pissed. It took everything I had not too reach out for him, to scream and shake some sense into him. This isn't who he should've become.

"Bet I know what you're thinking."

His words stopped my train of thought on its tracks. Meeting his eyes I cocked my head to the side, eyeing him like some sort of foreign creature.

"Yeah? Too bad you're illiterate," I snapped.

The hurt that flashed in his eyes…my heart caved in more as I wanted to take it back. I tried to reason that this is what siblings do. They fight with each other and bicker and somewhere along the line they make up and act like nothing ever happened; but there was a point in time when you crossed a line into something else. Something more treacherous and bond breaking.

LaLa had made his way around the island and was now sitting next to me, dropping a plate full of breakfast in front of me. While he straightened out he kicked me hard under the table causing me to go cross-eyed for a split second as I placed my head down on the islands.

"You have a good day at school, puddin'?" he purred.

When I glanced up from the island Charley had already grabbed his backpack and was out the front door. Turning my attention to La I gave him a funny look as he poured some maple syrup over his pancakes and bacon.

"Sugar britches? Sweetcakes? Puddin'?" I mocked. "What the fuck is he a dessert?"

"He could be," he replied petting the air.

"Dude, he's underage."

"Ne he ain't."

"Fine then how about, off-limits?"

"Convict," he muttered.

"Ru Paul lookin' motherfucker."

"The fuck you just did!"

"I did! So bring it!"

We both started laughing as I looked back down at the over flooded plate in front of me. My stomach rumbled but none of the food looked appetizing, not even my blessed coffee tasted good. I was just so hungry…

"Do I gotta eat this?" I asked sheepishly.

"What is with you Brewster's not wanting to eat my goddamn breakfast?"

"I'm just not hungry!"

My stomach gave a loud protest and looking from it back to LaLa I prayed he didn't hear it.

"Look bitch just eat what's on the plate."

"There's a mountain on the plate."

"There's going to be left over's!"

"We have Tupperware."

Letting out an agitated sigh he turned away from me digging his fork into the pancakes. I was satisfied that I'd won this argument and pushed my plate further away from me. I caught myself sneering at it in disgust as my stomach growled yet again.

"So why were you treating Charley that way?"

I tore my eyes away from the mound of food in front of me and focused on him.

"It's complicated."

"Enlighten me."

He took a sip of his orange juice, waiting for me to begin but this was a subject that wasn't open for discussion. I didn't want to talk about it period.

"What do you want me to say La?" I asked irritated.

"Just tell me why all of the sudden your baby brother became your enemy."

I swallowed hard as my eyes stung. Leave it to LaLa to just tell it too you like it is, I guess.

"He isn't my enemy he's just…I'm just not happy with him."

"Why?"

"Because you didn't see him last night La. The way he treated Ed; Ed has been like family since I could remember. I've looked out for that kid like I would look out for Charley. I protected them from assholes like the one he is now. I played their games with them and drove them to their Farscape conventions when no one else would. I taught them to play the only song I knew on guitar because they thought it would help them get girls. I just don't understand how Charley could just forget about that; forget about the only person in the world who truly fucking worshiped him and would do anything for him."

He sat there listening to me rant, calmly taking in every word I said, and rubbing my back when I'd started crying. Angrily I wiped the tears away as I fought to regain my cool.

"Kaylee whether you like it or not he's your brother. You knew that in coming back that there were going to be things that had changed, for better or worse."

"Yeah but I didn't expect this."

"Can I ask you something?"

Oh damn.

"What?"

"When you were his age did you know without a doubt who you were going to be? I'll take your silence as a no. You of all people should remember Kay how difficult it is at seventeen; eighteen years old, how hard it can be to figure out what you want out of your life and if you're making the right decisions. Charley may not be making the choices _you_ think are right, but he's learning baby girl; just like we all gotta learn some things on our own."

Man, did I feel like such a lousy sister. I had been so caught up in the memory of the things I'd left behind that I'd forgotten that Charley hadn't frozen in time as the baby brother I'd left behind. He'd grown up without me and, like LaLa had said, I needed to trust he'd make the right decision on his own.

"You know I didn't ask to be evaluated, Dr. Phil," I teased.

"Consider it a free consultation. I'm sure your crazy ass will be back again."

Shaking my head I watched him go back to his breakfast and wondered where the hell Ed was. The next time I saw the little bastard I was going to put him in a headlock for giving me nightmares.

* * *

><p><strong>Third POV<strong>

Charley crossed the street with his hands bundled tightly in the pockets of his sweater. He moved fast, his eyes glued to Jerry's house as he tried to fight off the overwhelming fear that was spreading like a wild fire in his chest.

He'd gone directly over to Ed's after school. When Mrs. Hazen had called his name and he hadn't answered, it had been a little weird. At first Charley had thought Ed was just trying to teach him a lesson but when he'd arrived at his house and Mr. and Mrs. Lee had informed him Ed had already left he could feel the paranoia begin to seep in.

And then there were the videos. Those fucking video diaries filled with nothing but of his missing neighbor Jerry. Wheel barrels, his pickup door opening and closing, and even a video were you could blatantly hear Jerry's voice talking to Doris. While he'd been walking home he had tried to come up with a million different explanations on why exactly Jerry hadn't been seen in any of them. Maybe Ed had photo shopped him out? That was the biggest possibility and the one that Charley thought was most possible. Ed had been desperate to get him and Kaylee to believe that Jerry was a living, non-breathing, freaking vampire.

Charley wondered what lengths he would go to just to prove his point.

When he reached his house he tore his eyes away from Jerry's and made his way for the backyard. He didn't even think about it until he had passed it but had he just walked past the garbage can? Turning around he got his answer.

Did he really want to worry about getting the trash right now? No. His mind was racing with too many thoughts all of which made him want to fly into a panic. He needed to talk to Kay.

Flipping the lid closed he grabbed the handle and started hauling it behind the fence.

Would Kaylee even _want_ to talk to him right now? All day two things had plagued him when he wasn't around Amy. One, the fact that Ed was missing and he could only wonder if he was doing it as some sick joke and two, what had haunted him the previous night: Kaylee and him fighting.

He hadn't meant to say what he'd told her. Yeah, he'd been thinking it at the time but he was just so mad and then bam it'd slipped out.

She had left him. She had left him behind with nothing more than a stupid note apologizing over and over, saying that she loved him but she had to do this. He had cried for weeks thinking for the longest time that he had done something wrong. If she had loved him as much as she said she did she should've stayed at least for him but she hadn't.

His hands clenched into fists at his side as he kicked the trashcan hard trying to get rid of all his frustration and confusion. Without a doubt he was glad to have her home and at the thought of her leaving…he couldn't bear it. But it didn't make the years of hurt and anger disappear like magic. Fixing the strap of his backpack he moved to close the gate and damn near jumped out of his skin when Jerry appeared at its entrance.

"Hey guy."

Jerry placed his forearms against the doorway of the entrance leaning in closer to the scent he knew all too well.

"Hey…guy," Charley replied.

As smooth as he could he briefly glanced past him hoping to see any of the neighbors out but there was no such luck. Maybe Kay was inside?

"You could really do me a solid-"Jerry began.

He left it open drawing out the exchange for as long as he could.

"What's that?"

Charley rubbed his hands against his jeans trying desperately to get rid of the sweat.

"Well I got a girl coming over for a beer and I'm all out of beer."

Girl.

A girl just like his sister? He shot back to the memory of earlier that morning and the marks that had been left all over Kay's neck. Instantly Charley's hands clenched for a different reason than fear and when Jerry's eyes squinted just a little he had a sudden wondering if the other man knew what he had been thinking. With a new since of strength he replied smugly, "Sucks."

But Jerry wasn't giving up.

"Set me up. I'll pay you back two times, a sixer for your mom and one for you what do you say?"

He watched as it barely took the kid two seconds before he came to a decision.

"Uh, yeah let me do that. Uh, right now I'll go…right now and check what we got in the fridge."

"Okay."

"Cool."

"Cool."

Too say that by the end of the exchange he was amused would've been an understatement. The kid was having these highs and lows of emotions. One minute he was strong and the next consumed with fear. When he turned his back and headed down the paved pathway he inhaled the scent deeply. The delicious scents mixed together to cause a hunger so deep he had to stifle it down quickly as he felt his fangs begin to take shape.

He wondered if he'd taste just as good as his sister had.

The boy quickly unlocked the kitchen's back door and hurried into the safety of the house.

"Let me just see what she's got alright. Mom's kind of ah, light domestic kind of mother."

Charley paused as he watched Jerry's boots stop perfect just behind the frame of the door. What had Ed said? They had to be invited in. If they weren't invited in they couldn't come in period. Charley watched him for a few seconds longer before he tossed his backpack onto the island and made his way over to the fridge. He'd left the door wide open to see if he'd maybe enter later; maybe the dude was just being polite.

Jerry just stood inside the frame and took inventory of the house.

"Nice kitchen," pointing rather awkwardly he continued, "Good cabinet work."

_What the fuck?_ Charley thought.

The only thing he had noticed was that every move Jerry had made was well behind the bounds of the doorframe. He was being meticulous in making sure he did just that. Giving him a brief shake of the head he moved into the now open fridge to grab what appeared to be a six pack in the fridge.

"Thanks."

Grabbing it by its handle he hauled it out of the fridge noticing that two of the bottles had been placed out. Also, that the beer was Budweiser. Charley had a split second thought that maybe these were Kaylee's beers but he quickly shoved the thought away. Jerry said he'd pay who's ever they were, back.

"You cool with Budweiser?"

Jerry shot him a way to friendly, almost practiced smile.

"Yeah, yeah that works."

For a second Charley froze up again; six pack in his right hand holding up one of the bottles to the man still stealthy placed behind the doorframe. Uncomfortable at his staring he quickly set the beer down in its holder and went in to fetch the rest. He just couldn't understand what any of them found so attractive about him; the guy was a creeper. Trying to catch another glance to see if Jerry had moved at all, the last beer slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.

"Oh shit!"

"Can I help you with that?" Jerry asked eagerly from the door.

"No! No, no, no." Shit! If that hadn't been super obvious. "I-I mean I got it."

Inside Jerry was laughing. It was all too typical; smelling like the same old song and dance he'd been a part of for centuries and in the end it had all ended the same. Taking his arms gradually off of the edges of the frame he moved back from the door and waited out on the patio for the boy to bring it to him.

Quickly Charley scooped up the broken bottle and tossed it in the sink.

"Charley?" Kaylee's voice called. "Is everything okay down there?"

His heart began to thunder madly in his chest as he felt like he was moving in slow motion as he turned to look at Jerry. There was no doubt in his mind that he hadn't heard her. His stance outside the doorframe had taken on a completely different feel as his eyes roamed around the kitchen and around the open hallways. The asshole was looking for his sister. He snatched the remaining beers off of the counter and made his way over to the door fast.

"Was that your sister?" he asked him calmly.

Charley knew he was just playing games. He'd heard his sister just as clearly as he had.

"Do you think I could talk to her for a minute?"

"No," he shot out fast. "Here are you beers. Sorry it's not a sixer."

He held it evenly inside the frame and waited for him to grab it. Jerry didn't look as friendly as he had before even if it had been faked, Charley would have preferred that too what he saw now. Jerry's eyes had seemed to take on a dangerous quality that only seemed to promise violence. He fought not to shake as he reached out, those cool eyes unwavering as they watched him. At the last minute he tugged back a little only causing Jerry to give him a fierce look that made him quickly hand the beers over.

That should've been it and he wanted it to be it but that wasn't anything close to what Jerry had in mind apparently. He watched him closely his chest swelling with panic at the idea that Kay could walk down those stairs any minute and come into the kitchen and he'd see her but he realized as Jerry pretended to look around that that's what he wanted. He was trying to bide his time until Kaylee did come down those stairs.

"This girl tonight she's a handful, you know? Women who look a certain way they-"he laughed into his fist but it didn't sound genuine. "They need to be managed it's true."He leaned his arm back on the sides of the doorframe giving Charley his full attention. "Your dad ducked out on ya, huh? Your mom…she didn't exactly say but there's this, well, kind of neglect: gives off a scent. You don't mind my saying you got a lot on your shoulders for a kid the three of you alone and your sister, Kaylee; she's ripe. I bet there are a line of guys just dying to pluck that; your mom too. You don't see it, or maybe you do but, she's putting it out. It's on you to look out for them. Think you can handle that, guy?"

He struggled to read between the lines of every word that he was saying. In there somewhere was a threat; he could feel it. All he wanted was for this asshole to get off of his back porch and go mess with some other family and that other girl who WAS NOT his sister.

"I think I can manage."

"Good because there are a lot of _bad_ people out there Charley. Everyone's gotta look after his own business."

And there it was; exactly what he had suspected and just like Jerry had wanted he'd bided just enough time.

He could hear her coming down the stairs and her calling out to him. He wanted to answer, to tell her to go back upstairs and that it was nothing but he couldn't. He was so paralyzed with fear he couldn't make himself do any of the things he thought of.

No; Jerry was not going to have his sister.

"Hey Charley is everything okay down here?"

A twisted smile lifted Jerry's lips as he looked past Charley with victory written all over his face. He didn't have to turn around to see she was already there.

* * *

><p><strong>How was that? Was it intense? This is basically the last chapter before they go breaking into his house to save the stripper. Yup yup. This chapter signifies the Sh*t hitting the fan and Jerry being the main part of the story :) <strong>

**As always, reviews brighten my day**

**~Much love, Jeneane~**


	10. Let's Enter Without Permission Pt 1

**Hey guys! :) I apologize for lagging but since it's December work has been ridiculously demanding. I'm hoping you all can forgive me and this chapter makes up for it! **

* * *

><p>My heart was thundering painfully in my chest; I couldn't move and I was pretty sure I wasn't breathing. The moment I had caught sight of him over Charley's shoulder I had that slight flicker of terror but it was quickly swept up in that feeling I'd felt all night; the overwhelming longing to be next to him crushed into me like a heavy weight. I felt like my world was narrowing down into tunnel vision where only Jerry existed and where I wanted to be. I could easily get to him; all I had to do was make my way through Charley.<p>

I began to shake as my mind raced with all the thoughts on how exactly I_ would_ get through Charley. Each passing idea feeling like it was tearing me apart. A cold sweat started down my spine as I felt myself start to move dancingly forward to the sudden rhythmic beating that played in my ears; my eyes stalking the quickening pulse in his neck.

What in the hell was I thinking? I shook my head wildly to try and clear the horrific images of me attacking my baby brother like some wild animal, but no matter how hard I tried to shake it away the drive to do it remained the same. At the last moment I turned on my heels and rushed over to the fridge to get a beer.

I'd been drinking all day and it seemed that in doing this, it could muffle that rhythmic beating, the smells, and the strange hunger I was becoming too rapidly aware of. But the alcohols effects didn't last long or as long as I would've liked. It seemed the more I drank the quicker the effects of it seemed to dissipate.

Gripping the handle to the fridge I opened it just a little too forcefully making the damn thing rock on its hinges. That was a first.

Charley spun around fast his eyes wide with panic.

"Jesus Kaylee I didn't even hear you come in."

Closing my eyes I leaned further into the cold of the fridge, letting out a heavy breath, I tried to calm the raging hunger that began to grow. It had terrorized me all fucking day and all I wanted was a drink. For some reason I wanted to tell Charley these things. I wanted someone to talk too about what was going on inside me but that want was nothing compared to the fact that what I truly wanted was leaning himself against the doorframe of the opened backdoor; feeling his eyes undoubtedly on me.

"You know your girlfriend is upstairs, right?" I started. "She's been waiting here for close to three hours for you."

"Shit!" he whispered fiercely.

Looking back at him I couldn't help but smile as he ran his hands across his face, most likely trying to come up with some way of apologizing. My smile however faltered when my eyes came across Jerry still leaning effortlessly against the doorframe and looking damn good while doing it. I brought my attention back to the fridge and leaned down to get a beer when I realized the entire pack was missing.

"Hey Kaylee."

I guess my plan to ignore him wasn't going to happen.

Shutting the fridge I turned to face them both and saw in his left hand what looked like a five pack of Budweiser. Crossing my arms I came back around the counter until I was standing next to Charley and nodded my head at the beer.

"Hey Jerry, whatcha got there?"

"Oh, Jerry said he was in need of some beer cause he has some company coming over," Charley answered.

His voice had shaken the whole time; his eyes shooting daggers at the other man with so much hatred I was surprised.

"Company, huh?"

Eyeing Jerry skeptically I rubbed a soft hand up Charley's back.

"You should go see Amy before she ends up realizing what a loser you are," I said playfully.

The kid gave me a tight smile if you could even call it that. His lips were pressed so tightly together they looked like they had completely vanished. He only ever did that when he was worried about something. His one of a kind worry look.

I eyed Jerry briefly before I gave Charley the best smile I could manage hoping it would help him out somehow.

"Yeah…yeah you're probably right."

He went to take a step back but stopped. His eyes were swimming with a look I could only describe as desperation and fear. I could read it in his eyes that he didn't want to leave me alone with him but giving his arm a gentle squeeze he finally moved back towards the stairs. I waited until he'd disappeared to look back at Jerry who had apparently already taken off.

I moved out the open door and quickly shut it behind me catching a glance of him rounding the corner. Quickly I made my way after him not caring that I was barefooted as I walked onto the gravel.

"Jerry!"

He was almost to the entrance of the fence when I called for him. At first I thought he was going to just keep walking when finally he turned so fluidly that my mind was unable to comprehend what I had just seen. The streetlights gave just enough light too illuminate his face and shoulders but as soon as he had turned he moved quickly to join me in the darkness that the side of the house had created. Once he'd entered the space the darkness took on a predatory feel and I knew the only prey within reach was me but it didn't frighten me. I _wanted _to be the prey.

He didn't stop until we were an inch apart and my pulse came alive thundering in my ears.

"Yes Kaylee?"

I didn't need any light to know that he was amused.

I was tempted to take a step back from him but instead I didn't. I told myself it was to show I wasn't afraid, and I truly wasn't. But that wasn't why I didn't move. The darkness reminded me of the darkness in my dream with my body enfolded around him pressed into the soft earth underneath. I fought against reaching out and running my hands along the fabric of his shirt.

I jumped as he caressed his fingers along my knuckles, letting myself enjoy it before I finally backed away, but he and I both knew it was just for show.

"When Charley said 'company' he actually meant girl didn't he? You have a girl coming over."

His white teeth flashed in the darkness.

"Yeah Doris is coming over in a little bit. Why do you ask? You're not jealous…are you Kaylee?"

I snickered as he closed the last of the space between us. The minute he breeched that space my body became alive with heat like it had yesterday.

"No. What do I have to be jealous of?" I countered.

Deep down I was seething.

His fingers glided their way up my arm, over my collarbone, and up my neck until his fingers were laced deep in my hair. Pulling me in close he touched his nose with mine; grazing his lips over mine he breathed, "Liar," and crashed our lips together.

His body was fire and ice and I was easily consumed.

When his lips left mine and made their way down my throat I didn't care what was going to happen, and when my neck stung as he bit down my body only grew more relaxed as I held on to him.

My vision began to fog as I tried to focus on the stars and how fondly the sky held them but they were too far or my vision was becoming too blurred. So I focused on the sound of Jerry's swallowing, his fingers convulsing in my hair and on my skin; the beer long forgotten on the ground. I could feel the tears sliding down my face as I looked back up at the sky no longer being able to see anything except a large dark blur.

As my arms finally collapsed down to my side I thought of how Ed had been right about Jerry all along and how none of us had listened. How were we really supposed to listen? Vampires weren't real or weren't supposed to be, but as I fought to keep my eyes open I could've laughed at the irony if I'd had the strength.

When Jerry removed his mouth from my neck instantly my body was cold, fighting as my heart was barely auditable and struggling to keep us alive. Leaning me against the wall he kept his body close to mine as his hands brushed random pieces of hair out of the way and wearing the first real smile I'd seen on him. He leaned forward and placed a bloody kiss on my cheeks and lips.

"Welcome home Kaylee."

* * *

><p><strong>How many of you guys expected that to happen? Part 2 will be up VERY soon I cyber pinky promise all of you!<strong>

**Reviews would be greatly appreciated! I love to hear what you guys are thinking!**

**Much Love**

**~Jeneane~**


	11. Let's Enter Without Permission Pt 2

**Hey everyone! I know, I know it has been a REALLY long time since I had posted anything and that is mostly due to the fact that my computer ended up passing away on me :( so I had to wait to get another one but maybe the real reason is because, well, this story is almost coming to a close and it makes me a little sad lol. **

**This chapter is long (I did so because I felt bad for laggin' ass on it) and also deals with Kaylee's change. I honestly don't know what it would really be like turning into a soulless creature who only cares about blood but I don't think it would be instant, so I decided to keep certain human aspects about her that you'll see through to the end. The beast inside dealing with those lingering human emotions. **

**Anyways guys, ENJOY!**

* * *

><p>It felt like I was sleeping and that all the things I was seeing were just a dream; a really bad, fucked up dream. My mind was flipping through every memory I had like a slide show starting from my first memory I cared to remember: my six year old birthday party.<p>

I think that was the happiest I had ever been. Mom had just had Charley and they had trusted me enough to hold him by myself. I'd bragged for months that my little brother was better than everyone else's, even feeling like I had convinced my teacher Mrs. Abernathy.

Slowly my mind flickered through every single one of them until it arrived at the day I had come back to my mom's. Suddenly Jerry consumed my vision his image pressing through the heavy grogginess I felt until I could make him out perfectly. He flashed me that amazing smile of his and instantaneously I was happy, completely surpassing the happiness I had felt when I had held Charley. I wanted to reach out for him, beckon him to come to me, but I didn't have to because he came to me and quickly enveloped me in his arms. A lazy smile widened my lips as I laid my head down on his shoulder. I felt blissfully content being wrapped there in his arms; morbidly so. In a way it almost reminded me of when I had done ecstasy for the first time when I was fifteen followed by way too much Jack Daniels.

It had made me feel euphoric and my mind sluggish with the combination; exactly how I felt being wrapped in Jerry's arms.

Taking my head from his shoulders I looked up at him and felt my heart swell with terror. I tried to tear myself away from him but it was useless. Jerry didn't even look like him or at least what my human idea of what he should look like. He had transformed into something monstrous and terrifying but underneath it I knew it was him. He looked to be turned on by my fear the creepiest smile spread across that too wide of a mouth with nothing but row upon row of razor sharp teeth reminding me of a shark.

Ed.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that: I was still struggling to get away from him, pounding my fists redundantly into his chest, as he held me easily in place. I was screaming now at the top of my lungs trying to sink down to my feet but he held me there. He drew out my terror, savoring the scent of it on the air, until finally he gripped me tightly by the nap of my neck and exposed it. I knew what was coming next or rather knew it had already happened but still I struggled and fought against it until that razor sharp mouth bit down onto my throat. It felt worse than the barbwire that had bit into my skin countless times when I had hoped fences; those memories dimming as he drank me down until there was nothing left.

Too my body this signified my real death that I had practically embraced earlier and instantly my body became animated with a strange thrum; convulsing then agonizingly stiffening up as if it was going through its own sort of rigor mortis. Lasting for barely a minute before that thrum shot through my fingers tips; for a second making me believe that I could move them. I even thought I was breathing, moving, but I wasn't. My head began to pound as all kinds of sounds entered into what little space I had making me want to scream at the annoyance of it all.

Bits and pieces of fevered talking, what sounded like feet pounding on floorboards, the continuing teasing beats of hearts passing by me, and the quiet flowing sound of blood pumping underneath. Every sound pulsated around me; off in the distance I could hear an alarm, the clinking of pots and pans in a kitchen…It all became background noise to the thing that I held onto the most: the rushing sound of blood.

A part of me was still trying to believe that this was just a sick dream but the brutal truth remained; I was already dead.

It felt like my body was doing all of these movements but I knew it wasn't, not really. I was trapped inside my mind as my body continued to re-animate itself.

Finally I woke up and gasped for air only to have it filled with dirt. Panic took me as I struggled to find my way out of my earthly prison. My hands began to claw at the dirt around me as my legs struggled to push myself in any direction but I had no idea which way I was going. I could've been digging myself in deeper into this earth bound crypt of mine; the thought alone making my movements more frantic. I clawed harder and faster not daring to let my mind linger on my previous thoughts.

The tips of my fingers wiggled out into what I could tell was open space and this time I did let the panic take hold of me as it helped me make my way out. Little by little my body twisted out of the dirt; first my hands, arms, and finally my head. Once I had my shoulders out the dirt began to fall apart and in a matter of seconds the rest of my body was forced out, as if the earth was giving birth to me. It sent me sliding down a large pile of dirt until I collapsed in a heap at the bottom.

A very large part of me wanted to nestle back into the earth that surrounded me feeling as if I had just abandoned my home. The other part of me, the sane part I figured, was telling myself that this was twilight zone weird.

Slowly I opened my eyes and focused on the ceiling. It was completely pitch black wherever I was but even in all this darkness my eyes easily adjusted. Off in the distance there was a single light and when I turned my neck just a little too look at it I quickly looked away letting out a hiss. My eyes began to focus in and out like what felt like the lens of a camera with the after effects of the light still dancing around the edges of my eyes. Everything seemed to be in sharp focus; so sharp I could easily spot the splinters in the floorboards above me and through the small cracks beyond.

"What the fuck are you doing?" A harsh whisper came from the darkness. "You aren't supposed to be up yet."

I could hear perfectly the man's footsteps as his feet sank into the soft dirt as he came towards me. His words came out crisp letting me know his precise location as he made his way towards me. The more I listened as whoever it was came closer I realized he wasn't breathing but then again neither was I.

As if my body had needed reminding instantly I took a deep breath having to roll over seconds later as I coughed out dirt and the air itself. It felt so foreign taking a breath. My body didn't want it and it certainly didn't need it.

"You don't need to breathe Kay; you're dead."

That voice. I knew that voice. When my body was finally done coughing I rolled back onto my back and looked up at the person standing over me and was surprised to see it was Ed, but he looked…different.

He no longer was wearing his glasses which gave him this strange cute baby look and his skin was just a smidgen paler. Everything else on Ed did not look natural; his eyes were now a deep coal black that seemed to only be spreading until the whites of his eyes disappeared. His mouth staying lax so his teeth had room. No, Ed wasn't the same measly kid who had lived only a few blocks over from me most of my entire life, but then again, neither was I.

"Ed?'

A smirk slid across his features exposing fang as he reached down to help me stand.

"Were you expecting someone else?" he teased.

Ed easily had me up and standing and kept a tight hold of my arm as I rocked unsteadily on my feet.

"Where are we?"

"I think you already know the answer."

Looking over at him I wanted to snap at him to quit playing games but when my eyes scanned the dark and empty room (sans the mound upon mound of dirt) I realized I did know where I was. In fact I knew the room in vivid detail from my dream the previous night. It was Jerry's basement were I had been with him or had I? The more and more my eyes looked around the room a cold lump started in my throat as my mind tried to make sense of everything.

When my eyes hit the light again I immediately hid my face against Ed's shoulder closing them tight. I was beginning to wake up and as I did so did my senses. Underneath it all was a growing hunger that had been asleep along with me like a sleeping giant but we were both awake now and the longer we were both awake the more the hunger grew.

Raising my head up from his shoulder I unconsciously rubbed my cheek against it. My eyes scanned for a source of life down here with us but there was none; agitated now I shoved away from Ed and was now able to stand on my own.

_Where was he?_

"How long have I been down here?"

My throat felt dry. I needed something to drink...

"That's not what you really wanted to ask Kay and you know it."

Ed was right it wasn't. I wanted to know where Jerry was; I _needed_ to know.

I stared at him absentmindedly as I moved languidly around on the soft dirt floor. My toes curled in pleasure with each step, strangely making me feel like a kid at the beach. I could feel my lips curling in a smile as I wiggled my feet in deeper not paying any mind to the boy behind me. That's when I caught it: the heavy sound of boots on the hardwood floor. Instantly my attention was brought up as I listened to the thud as the boots made their way across the floor; the heavy footsteps knocking dirt down from the floorboards up above. Automatically the adrenaline began to surge through me as I moved back to stand protectively in front of Ed. A strange sensation moved over my mouth and I could feel my teeth sharpen. This should've freaked me out but instead it did nothing but fill me with a sense of excitement and with an eagerness to feed. Ed on the other hand didn't seem to think whoever was making their way down the stairs was a threat because he remained perfectly calm.

They were closer now, whoever they were, and the anticipation I felt was beginning to feel like too much until I finally sensed it. The person coming down the basement steps wasn't an intruder but someone who felt like home. If I had had a pulse it would've came alive as Jerry rounded the corner and stood in his uniform like combination of black t-shirt and dark jeans.

I stood up straight as I looked at him in awe taking every ounce of self-control I had not to rush to him.

"You're awake."

Jerry made his way towards me, his movements graceful like a cat, as he shot Ed a not so friendly glare before his eyes rested back on me. Elation replacing the look of scorn that had been given just a millisecond before.

"I don't know what happened, sir. She just-I don't know-woke up."

He stopped in front of me and cupped my face in his hand, running his thumb lightly over my cheek.

"She's strong just like I knew she would be," Jerry replied, pride evident in his voice. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," I breathed.

I felt too far away from him even though there was barely inches of space between us; I couldn't stand it. I moved forward and filled that space until there was nothing between us. I rested my hands on his hips as Jerry wrapped his arms around me, as if cradling me. He brushed aside some stray hair and dirt a bemused expression on his face but I didn't care.

This-This is what I had woken up for. I had needed to be next to him, everything now feeling more complete. My body needing to be near him and loving him more than it had loved the solitude and love of that of the earth that had given me rebirth. None of this I needed to say to him because somehow Jerry had already known.

He took a step back and took my hand as he led me towards the stairs.

"Come on. We've got to get you cleaned up."

My only response was a light shake of my head as I followed him up the stairs. As we neared the top of the stairs and the open door that led out into the open living room above my skin began to itch with the promise of pain unmistakable.

It was hot; incredibly hot. The heat reminding me that of an oven or a curling iron if it had been placed on the sun. Instinctively I began to try and pull my hand out of his but Jerry held on tight. I began to scream, my face and mouth contorting, the sound ungodly as I became frantic to get him to let me go but Jerry was so much stronger.

Jerry was already at the edge of the steps and was still holding on tight as my nails scratched at his arm.

"Kaylee! Kaylee!"

I didn't care to answer and I didn't want too. The bastard was trying to kill me!

With one hard tug on my arm I was launched forward out of the basement and into the living room with him. The scorching sensation I had felt walking up had instantly erupted into what felt like burning that itched along my skin. My only thought was that he had killed me.

Jerry shook me hard to get me to shut up and was still shouting my name.

"Kaylee you are alright! You're not burning you just need to feed. Listen to me goddamn it!"

He shook me one last time before his words sunk in and I grew limp in his arms. I kept excepting to feel my heart pounding, my chest rising and falling in panic, but I didn't breathe and I was dead.

I looked up at him through loose strands of hair and instantly tried to hit him.

"Why didn't you just fucking tell me that before we came up here?"

"I thought you would trust me. Why would I bring you up here just to burn?"

"Because you're a sick son of a bitch," I muttered, now grumpy.

He laughed lightly as he took hold of my hand again.

"Cute."

We started towards the stairs and I couldn't help myself as I molded against him as we passed by the blacked out windows. The sun was still bright enough however to make its presence known. We made quick work of the stairs and were quickly inside of the bathroom. Letting go of my hand I watched as Jerry walked over to the shower and turned it on. Not a moment later the giant shower head came to life, spraying water, as he moved to pull a towel out of the cabinet that resided over the toilet.

I wondered how dirty I must be, having woken up in a dirt bed, but when I turned to the mirror I was greeted with an empty reflection. Damn, that would certainly put a damper on putting on makeup now wouldn't it?

I was jarred out of my thoughts when I felt Jerry's hands touch my shoulders and shivered as his fingers caressed down to my elbows. His fingers fell down to the hem of my shirt and teasingly played with it, the backs of his fingers tickling along my lower back until finally he began to slowly raise it, his fingers still caressing their way up my back. I raised my arms for him and watched as my shirt fell to the floor before I faced forward staring at an empty mirror. He made quick work of my shorts and underwear until I stood their naked and for once was relieved that my heart couldn't be heard.

His fingers mapped out delicate places on my body as he closed the space between us and swept my hair over to one shoulder his lips falling instantly onto my bare neck and shoulder. Jerry snaked his hands around my sides, gliding their way up slowly to take firm hold of my breasts. All the while his fangs were lightly leaving small trails of fresh blood.

I let out a shaky breath surprised that I had even taken one. Suddenly his teeth sank sharply in my shoulder blade and I was only held up by his hands as my knees wilted. A gasp escaped me as my hands clawed at the counter of the sink, my body shaking in bliss.

When Jerry released his mouth from me the displeasure was instant. He turned me around to face him and my blood was yet again smeared around his mouth. I could briefly feel some of it running smoothly down my back, his hand smearing it as he pulled me in and collided his mouth down onto mine. The taste of blood was enough to send me into a frenzy; my tongue dancing around the tip of his fangs as it searched for just a taste. As we kissed he moved me back towards the shower until I was at its edge. Releasing my lips he pointed behind us:

"Go clean yourself off."

I wanted to protest and argue but looking up into those obsidian eyes I knew it would be a waste so instead I turned and stepped inside the shower like I was told. The hot water washed over me and as I dunked my head underneath the stream I became transfixed as I watched a pink hue mix with the water and circle around the drain.

The sound of ruffling clothing caught my attention and when I turned to look I froze as Jerry's shirt fell to the floor. Unable to look away I licked my lips nervously as I watched his hands undo his belt, having already taken off his boots, and removed them. Once he was finished he made his way into the shower and quickly took me back into his arms.

Our lips met and instantly we began to devour each other as we passed through the stream of water until he had me pined against the wall.

The water was blisteringly hot; to a human their skin probably would've been scalded and might've received second degree burns. It barely warmed my skin compared to the heat I felt so close to Jerry.

His fingers dug roughly into my thighs before he quickly lifted me up and instantly I wrapped my legs around him. My body had begun to shake once more and it continued to intensify, craving for Jerry to end it. He pulled back from my lips his eyes eaten by the obsidian darkness I had feared not too long ago and exposed his neck to me.

"Drink," he ordered.

I wanted to do as he asked, my teeth already growing jagged as I stared at his neck, and then back at him. I didn't care I had never done this before; my hunger that I had forgotten about eagerly reared its head and reminded me of its presence. The need to feed became too much and without another thought I bit down on his neck, my teeth easily cutting through the flesh.

My mouth was rapidly filled with the hot, syrupy liquid and I greedily tried to gulp every bit of it down. In the movies they had always made it look so glamorous with no mess and no fuss but that wasn't the case here unless I was automatically doing it wrong. You could hear every greedy gulp I swallowed and I could feel small spills of blood seep its way past my lips every time.

His breath caught as his hand shot out hard puncturing a hole in the bathroom tile as the nails on his hand that was clutching onto my waist made jagged wounds down my back. The pain only seemed to increase my frenzy and I bit down even harder. He ripped me away by my hair and I snarled at him, angry that he had taken me away from feeding. Jerry snarled back against my lips, his hands still buried deep in my hair.

Our lips met one last time before he entered me fast and sharp, sending me bucking back against the cool tile. I screamed my pleasure against his lips as his mouth quickly swallowed it up as he continued to thrust, sending my body into tiny waves of pleasure. He moved us from the wall as he collapsed down on to his knees and this time I rode him as I arched back feeling so close. I bucked back harder when he sunk his teeth into the side of my ribs just under my breast, screaming wordlessly as the growing warmth that had been building between my legs spilled over.

Jerry lifted me up and ate my screams once more as his thrusts quickened only sending me over again. His nails sank into my thigh as I rode him down this time making sure I was the one who made him scream.

* * *

><p>I was standing back in front of the mirror as I soberly brushed out my hair. I didn't know why I was even in front of the damn thing. It had been established just a few hours earlier that I couldn't see myself so why the hell was I looking? Setting down the brush I placed my hands against the side of the sink as I continued to stare, angrily now, into the mirror. Rolling my tongue around my mouth I leaned forward a few more inches thinking that I would somehow magically appear. Annoyed, I lashed out and smashed my fist into the stupid thing; it shattered the minute my fist connected with it and continued on straight through the wall.<p>

"Well fuck," I muttered.

Taking my hand back I noticed that a large shard of glass had been shoved through the skin. Without hesitation I pulled it out, hissing through my teeth, before throwing it into the sink. Leaning over I went to turn on the faucet to run some cold water over it when I noticed that the blood had stopped flowing and the ligaments were reattaching.

"You'll get used to not having a reflection."

Believe it or not I jumped. Some vampire I was…

I glanced over at the door and found him re-dressed in a long sleeve coal colored t-shirt and his infamous dark jeans, relaxing casually in the doorframe.

"You'll also learn that it works in your favor. You're buying me a new mirror," he pointed before he moved from the doorframe and took off for the stairs.

Silently I mocked him as I glanced back in the direction of the now busted mirror. I suppose I had forever to learn to get used to not seeing myself. I wondered if I would end up forgetting what I even looked like.

Letting out a heavy sigh I trailed after him wondering where he had gone. I didn't have to search very far when I came down the stairs and noticed he was in the kitchen.

"Now what could a vampire possibly be doing in a kitchen?" I mused as I came into the room.

An amused look crossed his features as he shut the fridge and turned around to face me, a cold Budweiser in hand.

"Kaylee," he began.

"Yeah?"

Setting the beer down on the island he made his way around to stand in front of me, his fingers delicately touching the ends of my wet hair.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything."

My answer seemed to have pleased him because he filled the rest of the space between us quickly and planted a small kiss on my cheek.

"Good girl."

* * *

><p>Jerry had been right; the sun didn't hurt so badly once I had feed. It now just reminded me of an ant bit; more annoying than it could ever be painful. Even still as I made my way across the front of his lawn and onto my mother's I couldn't help but want to hiss in the direction it had gone down in. I fought the urge knowing that I wasn't the only one outside at the moment and boy did I wish I was.<p>

Every sound seemed to be magnified by a thousand: car doors slamming, couples arguing, kids laughing, and even the damn birds chirping. But the one sound that I heard constantly and played like delicate music above the rest was the pulsing of blood pumping.

I had to dig my nails into the palms of my hands as I kept trying to stay focused on the task at hand. But god was it fucking difficult. It was as if the blood called to me like a sick and twisted lullaby. At times I had even found myself humming along with the beat.

My eyes scanned the surrounding houses until I found the closest cause of all the noise. Six houses down was a small girl who appeared to be no more than seven. She was skipping carelessly in front of her house as her mother struggled to gather groceries from the car. She repeatedly called for the little girl to come to where she was at but the girl continued to ignore her.

I could have easily walked down to the woman and offered her my assistance and gained entrance into their home. It would be almost too easy as if it had been set up. I had stopped walking now and like any real predator I had been nothing but if not focused on my prey. Taking notes and surveying the surrounding areas to make sure no one else was around the house. It appeared they were the only two who lived there.

I shook my head wildly as I fought to bring my attention back to the task at hand. I moved, maybe just a little too quickly, over to my mother's front door and knocked vigorously pleading that she would answer.

I knew that she and Charley were both home and that La was in too. I could hear their breathing even through the door but none of it compared to the sound of what was six houses down. My fangs had already begun to sprout and I fought to make them disappear.

A large part of me had just wanted to reach out and open the door but I could feel the barrier from the doorframe if I even so much as thought to try and go through.

"Who is it?"

"Mom, mom it's Kay."

In a matter of seconds the door flew open and there stood before me was my enraged mother. Funny how much frailer she seemed now.

"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded.

"Aren't you gonna let me in first? Wouldn't want the neighbors to hear now would you?"

Her features grew tight as her fury grew.

"Get your ass in here now!"

I couldn't help but smile sadistically as I moved to enter the house.

The barrier I had felt just a few seconds earlier had disappeared as I breached through the door. Once I was inside my body shivered; it had felt like I'd had to shove my way through the damn thing, as if the house still wanted nothing to do with me.

Slamming the door shut behind me my mom moved to stand in front of me her arms crossed, obviously waiting to hear what I had to say.

"You going to tap your foot next?" I baited.

"What in the hell has gotten into you?"

"I'm sorry mom I've had a really…interesting night."

"Kaylee it's been close to two days." That was news to me. "I've tried your cellphone but LaLa found it in your room. I thought something serious had happened to you."

Something had but there was no need for her to find that out just yet.

The anger was beginning to ebb into the background as her distress over the last two days began to show. The lines in her face deepening only making her pretty face take on a much older look. She uncrossed her arms as she reached over to tug on my shirt.

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

"Jerry gave it to me-"

"Jerry?"

Her hand quickly dropped the shirt now as if it had just bit her. By the expression on her face you would've thought it had.

"Yeah I was staying over at his house."

"Well that's news to me. I had asked the son of a bitch if he had seen you and he had reassured me he hadn't."

"Yeah I uh asked him not to tell you. I didn't want you to make a huge deal out of it, yeah know."

Her mouth opened and closed reminding me of a fish gasping for air. Suddenly the sound of her pulsing heart came slamming into me. Shaking my head I tried to get rid of its sound but I noticed it was beginning to race faster. I cocked my head to the side as I studied her; her fists clenching and unclenching beside her and the slight rising and falling of her chest.

She was angry, angry that I had been with him and that he had lied. I caught myself smiling again, amused at her reaction, when I took a step towards the stairs.

"Hey is Charley home?"

It looked like she was battling a thousand thoughts at once as she shook her head lightly, a hand rising to smooth over the top of her ponytail.

"Yeah he's upstairs in his room. He's been freaking out thinking you had just up and disappeared while you were with your boyfriend, by the way. Before you do anything you might want to go and let him know you're still alive; give the kid some peace of mind."

Her words were laced with spite and I felt my eyes lower seeing as how it was my turn to become angry. She would like to think that I had just up and left again, that I hadn't learned my lesson the first time that I had done it.

"I'll be sure to do that," I spat back as I ascended the stairs.

"Oh and Kaylee make sure you give your new boyfriend his shirt back."

She always had to have the last damn word. I watched her turn her back to me and head back into the living room no doubt fuming the whole way.

Rolling my tongue around in my mouth I danced it around the pointed edges of my teeth. The wood of the railing was beginning to groan its discomfort as I continued to squeeze it, taking everything I had left in me not to run after her. Instead I made my way up the stairs aggravation coursing through me as I fought to keep myself in check.

I had gotten my way back inside the house like Jerry had asked and it would only be a matter of minutes before he was here. I kept reminding myself of that as I made my way down the hall running my hands along the wall and knocking down picture frames as I went. As I was passing by Charley's room I noticed that the door was hanging open and a racking sound was coming from within.

With my hand still gliding along the wall I came to a stop in his doorframe, my body resting fluidly against it. The kid was sitting in a chair carving out what looked like a small stake. Charley's brow was furrowed in concentration as he moved the blade over and over across the wood, trying to make quick work of it.

I knocked gently on the inside of his door. He glanced up, his heart rate rising, as I received a startled look of relief as he threw the knife down on his bed and tucked the stake loosely into his back pocket.

"Kaylee!"

He made his way quickly around his bed and stopped just a few feet away from me.

"Hey kiddo what are you up too?"

I nodded to the knife on the bed knowing he knew what I meant. Charley looked back anyways, his eyes darting from me to everything else in the room, as he shrugged his shoulders. When his eyes finally fixed on me however they squinted just a little as he eyed me carefully.

"You know just stuff," he muttered softly. "Hey Kay where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."

This I knew to be true.

Jerry had told me all about how Charley had broken into his house. The kid had come looking for me and instead had found Doris who he had allowed Charley to drag out into the sun where she exploded. Jerry had also told me, that Charley needed to die. He had become a nuisance; more trouble than he was worth.

So here I was infiltrating the house like a double agent, waiting for that moment when I was told to strike. But looking at my baby brother now I couldn't help but notice the elation he felt that I was here, standing in his room. I could actually feel it but underneath that I could tell that his mind was trying to tell him to stay away, that I was a threat standing in his room, but the kid kept fighting it and pushing it away. He thought I was alright and suddenly I had felt like a knife had been pierced through my heart. I bit my lip to keep from gasping and tried to smile through it knowing that I had been sent here to help kill my little brother.

I moved forward until I was a few inches away from him and played with some of his baby curls.

"I went out for a bit; had a lot on my mind and just needed to get away for a bit but I'm back now. Don't worry Charley I won't ever leave you again, alright?"

I don't know why I had been compelled to tell him that last part but I could see that it had only helped ease his mind. He knocked my hand away playfully both of us laughing lightly as I moved back towards his door.

"Where you going?"

"I gotta go change fool been in the same clothes for days."

With that I turned on my heel and made a beeline for my room making a quick note that LaLa was in the bathroom before I shut my door. I leaned against the door for a moment as I collected my thoughts before I made my way over to the closet looking for something else to put on. I decided on a simple tee shirt and jeans.

Striping out of Jerry's shirt and my shorts I went over and started to change even applying some of my Pink lotion. As I began to put on my jeans I couldn't help but laugh at how normal this all was but how incredibly different I felt. After I latched my jeans closed I moved back over to the bed to pick up my shirt when the door opened and by the smell alone I knew that it was LaLa who had walked in.

"Bitch where has your funky ass been-"

His words fell short as he no doubt saw the bite marks and scratches that Jerry had left all over me. They were barely beginning to heal and itched like a motherfucker.

I took my time putting on my shirt not caring that he had seen; his fear however was beginning to make me hungry. Once my shirt was on I spared a glance over my shoulder at him and saw that he was damn near shaking as he edged his was slowly back towards the door.

"What the hell did you let him do to you?"

I turned to face him a smile spreading across my lips. From the look of terror that came over his face I could only assume that my eyes had been consumed by the same darkness that Ed had and with a flick of my tongue I could feel my teeth growing.

Everything seemed to slow down as I narrowed in on him; the scent of his fear becoming intoxicating as he opened his mouth to scream. In one fluid motion I moved towards him and was easily behind him as I wrapped my hand securely around his mouth. It was almost too easy how I was able to keep his struggling body in place with just that one hand. LaLa never gave up though as his panic and fear drove his body into a frenzy, fighting desperately for me to let him go.

I kept him suspended there between his fear and the unknown; wondering what I would do to him as I drew out his fear. Leaning in to his ear I whispered, "He has done nothing but given me a gift."

With my hand still over his mouth I jerked his head back hard exposing his throat, and without another word, sank my teeth deep into it. That syrupy sweet liquid filled my mouth once again but this time it was different; it was molten hot with that coppery tang that made it taste almost perfect. My body convulsed in pleasure as I voraciously drank him down, my hands a crushing weight on his face and arm that echoed with the sounds of bones cracking. My vision was swirling in red and I wanted to laugh as his heart began to slow and the blood became less.

Finally I released him and his body fell into a sluggish heap onto the floor, his eyes wide open in terror. My shirt and the floor had splotches of blood.

"Damn, you made me make a mess," I giggled.

It felt almost dreamy, this state I was in making me feel giddy. Going over to my closet I picked out a new shirt, carelessly discarding the other one and used it to clean up my mouth and neck.

Once I replaced it with a new shirt I walked over to the door. I looked down at La one last time before I casually stepped over him like he was just a welcome mate and headed back into the hall to head back over to Charley's room.

* * *

><p><strong>So guys it really is coming close to that time for the story to almost reach it climatic end ha and I can assure you the ending will hopefully be nothing you can imagine and will probably be shocking. I figure since it is coming close to that time, I gotta make it badass right?<strong>

**As always I would love to know how you guys are feeling about the story so far :) Feedback is always appreciated!**

**~Much Love, Jeneane~**


End file.
